Creamy Beet With Dill Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pounds raw beets, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, cut into large dice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pinch sugar
• 3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
• 1 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill
• 1 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Garnish: chopped hard-cooked egg

Directions:

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large, deep saut pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

Step 2: Add the beets and then the onions. Saut, stirring occasionally at first, then more frequently as the vegetables begin to brown. Continue cooking until they are golden brown, about 7-8 minutes.

Step 3: Reduce the heat to low, then add the butter, sugar, and garlic. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are richly caramelized.

Step 4: Stir in the caraway seeds and cayenne pepper. Saut for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.

Step 5: Pour in the chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, lower the heat and let it cook partially covered until the beets are tender, about 10 minutes.

Step 6: Using an immersion blender or a traditional blender, pure the soup until very smooth, adding the fresh dill. If using a traditional blender, be sure to vent the lid slightly (by removing the pop-out center or lifting an edge), and cover with a kitchen towel. To clean the blender, add a bit of half-and-half, blend, and then add the mixture to the soup.

Step 7: Return the soup to the pan (or a separate soup pot). Add enough half-and-half to achieve a soup-like consistency that will still hold a garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Step 8: Heat the soup through. Ladle into bowls, garnish with chopped hard-cooked egg, and serve.

Tips:

*To toast caraway seeds: Heat teaspoon of caraway seeds in a small skillet over medium-low heat until they begin to pop and release a fragrant aroma. Let them cool slightly before crushing with a rolling pin.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

• Calories: 152
• Total Fat: 10g (13% Daily Value)
• Saturated Fat: 5g (24% Daily Value)
• Cholesterol: 26mg (9% Daily Value)
• Sodium: 101mg (4% Daily Value)
• Total Carbohydrate: 13g (5% Daily Value)
• Dietary Fiber: 3g (10% Daily Value)
• Total Sugars: 7g
• Protein: 3g (7% Daily Value)
• Vitamin C: 7mg (8% Daily Value)
• Calcium: 74mg (6% Daily Value)
• Iron: 1mg (5% Daily Value)
• Potassium: 384mg (8% Daily Value)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.