BEET SOUP WITH GREENS, APPLE SALAD AND CILANTRO-WALNUT PESTO

Beet Soup With Greens, Apple Salad and Cilantro-Walnut Pesto image

Provided by Molly O'Neill

Categories lunch, project, soups and stews, main course

Time 2h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 24

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Ingredients

15 medium beets, trimmed; greens reserved
10 cups beef broth (see recipe)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Beet greens (see above), stemmed and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and grated
1 1/2 teaspoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cups cilantro leaves
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Sour cream

Steps:

To make the soup, place beets and broth in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving broth. When cool enough to handle, slip skins off beets. Set aside 2 beets. Place half of the remaining beets in a food processor. Measure broth and add enough water, if necessary, to make 9 cups. Add half of broth to beets and puree until smooth. Repeat with remaining beets and broth. Combine batches and stir in salt and pepper. Reheat before serving and stir in lemon juice and more salt, if needed.
To make the beet greens, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beet greens and saute for 10 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of water, cover and cook until tender, about 10 minutes more. Coarsely grate the reserved beets and stir into the greens with 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Stir in the apple, walnut oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place the cilantro, walnuts and 1/2 cup of olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Add3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
Place the beet green mixture, the apple mixture, the pesto and the sour cream in separate bowls. Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve, passing the condiments separately.