Chilled Beet And Sauerkraut Soup With Horseradish And Crème Fraîche Recipes

CHILLED BEET-AND-SAUERKRAUT SOUP WITH HORSERADISH AND CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375. Wash the beets, and trim only their stem ends, leaving a little of the stems attached. Crowd beets in a single layer in a roasting pan, season lightly with salt and pour in about an inch of water (less if the beets are small, more if they're large). Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and roast until a skewer slides easily through the beets, about an hour.
• When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel. Trim away any fibrous root ends, and cut into ½-inch cubes. Clean the fennel, keeping tough outers for another purpose. Dice the fennel and onion into pieces slightly smaller than the beet cubes. Slice the garlic. Slice the cabbage to about the size of the sauerkraut.
• Set a large pot over medium heat, pour in enough oil to cover its bottom and cook the fennel and onion with a small pinch of salt until they soften. Add the sliced cabbage and garlic, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the beets, sauerkraut and ½ cup of the sauerkraut liquid, then enough water to barely cover. Add a small splash of vinegar and the mushroom butts (if you're using them). Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Chill the soup.
• Taste the soup, and add remaining sauerkraut juice to season instead of salt. Serve with a spoonful of crème fraîche, a little grated horseradish and a few grinds of black pepper.

A VERY UPDATED VEGETABLE CHARTREUSE

Steps:

• Cut the cabbage core/stem end. Separate off 12-13 leaves (several will be extra), choosing the biggest, most beautiful. Boil a pot of water, and salt until it tastes like pleasant seawater. Cook separated leaves in two batches, 3-4 minutes each, removing when they are pliable with a sieve or tongs to a baking tray lined with cloths or a large colander. Let them drain until very dry.
• From the remaining cabbage, very finely slice two cups of leaves, leaving the thick central stem behind (save/freeze for vegetable soup). Add the 1 1/2 cups julienne celery and leaves and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well, and leave sitting at room temperature for at least an hour and up to 2 hours, mixing occasionally.
• Combine 3 tablespoons butter and 1 of olive oil in a very large pan. Once butter is melted, add chopped onion, garlic, remaining celery and combined sage, rosemary and thyme, and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until onion is just translucent. If it starts to brown or stick, add a few drops of water. Add all diced mushrooms, and stir occasionally, cooking 15-25 minutes until the mushrooms' liquid has all emerged and evaporated. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Mix through, add white wine and cook for another minute. Turn off heat. Add parsley/celery leaves and crème fraîche, and mix through. Remove to a bowl, and refrigerate.
• Rinse spinach in a large colander. Put a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook spinach in batches with only the water clinging to the leaves until they are completely wilted. Remove to a colander to cool. Put the spinach in a strong clean kitchen cloth, and squeeze well, until completely dry. Put leaves through a food processor until very well chopped (or chop finely by hand). In a small pan, heat 5 tablespoons butter in 1 tablespoon olive oil until butter has just begun to brown. Add chopped spinach and nutmeg. Add 1 teaspoon sea salt, then sherry. Cook a few moments, until sherry is absorbed. Turn off heat. Add Parmesan and mix.
• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a 6- or 7-inch springform pan. Make sure the cabbage leaves are very dry. Put the prettiest cabbage leaf in the bottom of the pan, spreading it into a single layer. Trim any stem/central vein that overhangs. Use 5-7 more leaves to line the sides, pressing some of each leaf carefully into the bottom of the pan and the rest up the pan's side. There should be some leaf remaining overhanging the top. Continue, lightly overlapping the leaves, until sides are covered. Put a third of the mushroom mixture into the food processor, and blend to semi-smooth. Mix back into the rest of the mushrooms. Spread half the mushroom mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan, over the cabbage. Cover with an even layer of half the spinach. Drain the cabbage-celery slaw very well, pressing all the liquid. Spread the very dry slaw over the cabbage. Repeat with the remaining spinach, and then the remaining mushrooms. Cover the mushrooms with 1-3 more cabbage leaves, in a very thin layer, trimming to fit if necessary. Fold overhanging leaves to cover the bottom. Dot with remaining butter, divided. Put into the middle of the oven. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and let sit to cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Put a large plate over the cake pan. Invert the pan, and release the springform sides. Carefully remove the sides and top. Let the finished dish cool a few minutes more, then cut with a very sharp knife. Serve immediately, alone, or with a dollop of crème fraîche or ricotta on each serving.

BEET SOUP WITH HORSERADISH CREAM

Steps:

• In medium bowl, stir together sour cream and horseradish. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• In 6-quart stock pot over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onions, celery, and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add beets and stir until lightly coated with oil. Add 8 cups water, cover, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until beets are tender and easily pierced with fork but not falling apart, about 1 hour.
• Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, sugar, coriander, salt, and pepper. Serve hot, topped with horseradish cream, or serve chilled.
• Variation:
• : If you plan on serving this soup at two seders and want some variety on the second night, try this twist that combines Eastern European knaidlach (matzoh balls) and Middle Eastern kibbeh (meatballs): Prepare matzoh ball dough (you can use a packaged mix) and chill at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together ground beef or lamb, chopped onion, chopped celery, chopped fresh mint, a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Form the meat into mini-meatballs. Wrap matzoh ball dough around each meatball to form "knaidlach kibbeh." Boil the balls according to the package directions (the meat will cook inside them). Place two balls in each bowl of hot soup.

ROASTED BEET SOUP WITH CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour. Cool. Peel beets. Cut 1/4 of 1 beet into 1/4-inch cubes; reserve for garnish. Cut remaining beets into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Melt butter with oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek, onion, and celery and cook until beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 13 minutes. Stir in ginger, allspice, white pepper, and 1/2-inch beet pieces. Cook until vegetables begin to stick to bottom of pot, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Add 2 cups water, bay leaf, thyme sprig, and parsley sprig. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove bay leaf, thyme sprig, and parsley sprig. Cool soup slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender with cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, cover, and refrigerate.)
• Gently rewarm soup (do not boil). Divide between 2 bowls. Garnish each with 1 tablespoon crème fraîche. Sprinkle with reserved beet cubes.