BEET APPLE SOUP

BEET APPLE SOUP image

Yield 6 people

Number Of Ingredients 8

6 medium-sized beets, trimmed and scrubbed
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups apple juice
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Crème fraiche, for garnish

Steps:

Place beets in a large heavy pot and cover with broth and juice. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer partially covered, until tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer beets to a bowl; when cool enough to handle, slip off the skins and cut into pieces. Strain broth through a fine sieve and return to pot. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add apples and sauté until just caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. Puree the cooked beets and sautéed apples together in batches, adding some broth to thin. Return puree to pot and combine with remaining broth. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper; pass through strainer, if desired. Serve soup hot or cold, dollop with crème fraiche.