Beet And Fennel Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 4 medium beets (about 1 pound)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 large onion (left whole for first step)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 3/4 cups chopped fennel bulbs (about 1 large)
• 1 cup chopped peeled granny smith apple
• 2 teaspoons wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 8 teaspoons reduced-fat sour cream (optional) or 8 teaspoons plain yogurt (optional)
• chopped fennel leaves

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375°.
• 2 leave root and 1 inch of stem on beets; scrub with a brush. place beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil; sprinkle beets with water. wrap beets in foil; arrange packet of beets and the whole onion on a baking sheet. bake at 375° for 1 hour or until tender. cool.
• 3 combine broth, chopped fennel, and apple in a medium saucepan. bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until fennel is tender. cool.
• 4 trim off beet roots; rub off skins, and coarsely chop. peel and quarter onion. add beets and onion to broth mixture in pan, stirring to combine. place half of beet mixture in a blender; process until smooth. pour pureed beet mixture into a large bowl. repeat procedure with remaining beet mixture. stir in vinegar, juice, salt, and pepper. return pureed beet mixture to pan.
• 5 place the pureed beet mixture over medium heat, and cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. ladle soup into bowls, and top with sour cream. sprinkle evenly with chopped fennel fronds.