Beet soup with kefir

To-date, I have not met anyone who loves beets more than I do.  There are many reasons why, but that’s a subject for a separate blog post.  Let’s just say not only do I their earthy taste, I like the effect the have on the colon function.   Have constipation problems?  Try some beets! 

Looking for more ways to incorporate beets into my meals, I found this interesting recipe of a creamy beet soup. I tried it and it came out quite well. I have not used all the ingredients listed in the original recipe, and I have added roasted garlic, which added a wonderful kick to the soup.

Beet Soup with Kefir
Inspired by this recipe from Epicurious.com

Makes 3 servings

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Olive oil
1 onion large, sliced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
7 Garlic Cloves
2 cooked beets medium
1 cup Chicken Broth
Salt and Pepper
1/2 to 1 cup of Kefir
3 tbsp Kefir

1) Heat olive oil in a medium size frying pan and add onions, cooking on high heat until onions are soft and well browned – about 5 minutes. Cut beets into thin slices and add to onions, cooking for 5 more minutes on medium-high, stirring occasionally.

2) In the mean-time, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a different pan, add garlic and cook on medium high or medium for about 15 minutes, covered with lid, until garlic is roasted well, acquired a nice golden color and is soft when picked by the fork.

3) While garlic is cooking, add chicken broth to the pan with onions and beets mixture and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove the pan with liquid from heat and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before adding it to blender. After the beet mixture cooled off, puree the soup in the blender.

4) Return the soup to the pan, salt and pepper to taste. Reheat it until hot, remove from heat, and only then add kefir (so that kefir doesn’t curdle). Add from 1/2 cup to 1 cup of kefir to achieve the desirable taste and soup consistency. Salt and pepper to taste at this stage, too.

5) Serve soup in medium size bowls, adding 1 additional tbsp of kefir into each bowl and creating decorative white swirls. Decorate it with the sprig of green tarragon.