Recipe: Roasted Beet Soup with Homemade Creme Fraiche (blender or food procsssor)

ROASTED BEET SOUP

"Roasting the beets gives this soup a more mellow flavor than a standard beet soup recipe. We suggest serving this with sour cream or creme fraiche that you make yourself or purchase."

1 pound fresh red beets, trimmed but not peeled
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium leeks white part only, chopped
2 small onions, coarsely chopped
2 medium celery ribs, coarsely chopped
2 small carrots, coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 cups water
2 medium bay leaves
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 cup heavy (whipping) cream
Salt and fresh-ground white pepper, to taste
1/8 cup sour cream or Creme Fraiche, recipe follows (for serving)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Rinse and dry the beets. Wrap loosely in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the center of the oven about 1 hour, or until very tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven, carefully unwrap and let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter with the oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, onions, celery and carrots; cook, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften and take on color.

Stir in the ginger, allspice and beets and continue cooking about 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the vegetables begin to stick to the bottom of the pot.

Add the water, bay leaves, thyme and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender. Remove the bay leaves and cool the soup slightly.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or a good blender, puree the soup in batches, adding some of the heavy cream to each batch. Season with salt and pepper. (The soup can be made a day ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated. Rewarm over low heat, do not boil.)

To serve, divide among 4 warm serving bowls. Garnish each with 1 tablespoon sour cream or creme fraiche.

CREME FRAICHE
Makes about 3/4 cup

3/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
6 tablespoons sour cream
1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

In a nonreactive small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and sour cream until thoroughly blended. Cover and set aside at room temperature 8 to 24 hours, until thick.

Line a coffee filter with a filter paper and spoon in the thickened cream. Set over a bowl, cover and refrigerate 24 hours to drain.

Tear away the filter paper, transfer the creme fraiche to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice. This will keep, refrigerated, for a week.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Bon Appetit