Roasted Beet Soup

Beets.  Nahid loves them.  I have tried to like them. Pickled (yuck) Carpaccio-ed (underwhelmed) Raw thinly sliced with vinegar (so-so)  Their allure still eluded me.  So in my search for a beet dish that I could actually like, I bought a bunch at the Hollywood Farmers Market, threw them in the oven, then combed my cookbooks in search of inspiration.  David Tanis’ “A Platter of Figs” had a  Cold Pink Borscht recipe.  But this is the holiday season I wanted a deep red soup.  Plus the beets were already in the oven.  So I left a few things out like the yogurt.  And I roasted the red orbs instead of boiling them  and…wait for it.  I liked it.  The guests we had over for dinner LOVED it.  In fact, Lisa was not satisfied with a small amuse bouche of the stuff, she wanted a bowl.  Come to think of it everyone had seconds, well almost everyone.

Roasted Beet Soup

• 4 medium sized beets
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 3 cloves garlic sliced
• 1/2 red onion chopped so that you have at least a cup of onion
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 3 cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper

1.  Place beets in baking pan.  Pour a little water in pan.  Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake in 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.
2. When beets are done remove, cool, peel and quarter
3. Place all ingredients except for beets in a medium sauce pan bring to boil for about 5 minutes until the onions and garlic are soft.
4. Place beets in blender, place on puree and slowly add the broth mixture.  Blend until smooth.
5. Pour into little amuse bouche glasses.
6. I topped with left over lima bean puree (Get it red and green for the holiday spirit?)