Recipe: Creamy Pink Borscht

Creamy Pink Borscht
rec.food.recipes/Heather Jane McCormick
Recipe from the California Culinary Academy
Makes about 6 cups

This cool summer soup is an absolutely gorgeous bright, deep pink and looks wonderful served in a clear glass bowl!

3 medium beets (1.5 to 2 lbs)
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
pinch ground cloves
pinch white pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp lemon juice
Sour cream and chives or dill for garnish

Remove all but one inch of the beet tops. Scrub beets well. Boil in a large pan of salted water until tender, about 30-35 minutes. When beets are cool, peel and dice them.

Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, and add onion, cooking until soft but not brown. Add brown sugar, cloves, pepper, salt, beets and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

In batches, puree the beet mixture with the sour cream in a blender or a food processor. Pour into a glass bowl and mix in the lemon juice. Taste, and add salt if necessary. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 5 hours or overnight.

At serving time, garnish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill or chives. Sour cream garnish can be swirled into soup lightly to create a striking pink and white swirl.