Recipe from Erin French
Adapted by Tejal Rao
- Total Time
- About 45 minutes, plus 1 hour's chilling
- Rating
- 5(216)
- Notes
- Read community notes
The beauty of this quick, simple soup recipe is in its layers of bright and carefully balanced acidity. Golden beets, puréed with buttermilk and lemon juice, have a sweet, gentle twang; Erin French, a chef from Freedom, Me., takes things even further, garnishing each bowl with fresh herbs, finely chopped shallots macerated in rice wine vinegar, and dollops of sour cream. Serve this soup as a side or with crusty, garlic-rubbed grilled bread to make it a meal. —Tejal Rao
Featured in: How Erin French Made a Tiny Maine Town a Dining Destination
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 1tablespoon finely chopped shallots
- 1tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
- Ground black pepper
- 2½pounds golden beets (about 8 to 10 medium-size beets)
- 1teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2cups buttermilk
- ½lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
- Small handful of basil leaves, for serving
- Small handful of dill fronds, for serving
- ⅓ to ½cup sour cream, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
161 calories; 9 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 541 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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In a small bowl, combine chopped shallots and vinegar and let macerate for 20 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with a few grinds of black pepper. Set aside.
Step
2
Put beets in a large pot over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon salt and enough water to cover. Boil for 25 to 40 minutes, depending on size, until tender when poked with the tip of a knife. Drain beets and let cool, then peel off the skins with your fingers.
Step
3
Cut 1 beet into a small, even dice, then add to the shallot mixture, season with a pinch of salt (or to taste) and set aside. Cut the remaining beets into large chunks and purée in a blender with buttermilk and lemon juice until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until completely cool.
Step
4
Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil. Serve with marinated beets, herbs and sour cream on the side, so people can garnish their own bowls as they like.
Ratings
5
out of 5
216
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Cooking Notes
John Golden
The importance of using real buttermilk known as full-fat buttermilk (little globules of butter in the skimmed liquid from heavy cream) is essential to make this soup. I'm sure French relies on a local dairy for the milk. There's lots of the artisanal brew in Maine.
Swapna
Whole-milk kefir works well as a substitute for full-fat buttermilk. Another stellar option is to look for Dahlicious-brand organic plain full-fat lassi (available in some Whole Foods and large organic grocery stores). It's labeled as 'lassi', but unlike the Indian namesake, their plain version has NO added sugar or salt-- it's just whole milk from grass-fed cows along with cultures. Tastes just like creamy full-fat buttermilk, and works great in my baking recipes!
Andrea Wallick
I have been doing this for a year, but with kefir. And it is fabulous! And I have added beef bone broth.
I bake the beets the way Jim Beard taught me. In foil in a 425F oven for an hour. Jackets slip right off.
However Tejal's is a great recipe,
too;-)
tal
I agree that full-fat buttermilk is desirable; unfortunately it is hard to find even in large metropolitan area groceries. What the stores here in northern CA typically carry is 1% buttermilk. 1% is fine for, e.g., a chicken brine. And, it will likely work acceptably in this recipe. I'll add that the store-brand buttermilk here in northern CA is terrible, I don't believe it is actually cultured, I think it is simply soured milk. Do buy a dairy company brand of buttermilk.
AuntyLane
I have both golden beets and red beets growing in my garden. I cooked them separately and used the golden beets for the base and the red beets for the garnish. It was beautiful. I think the secret to this soup is getting your favorite flavors into the garnish.
kaylaps
The flavor of this soup is outstanding! I used Chioggia beets, as that's what was in our farm box, and microwaved them rather than boiling; otherwise followed the recipe. I would maybe boil beets & retain the cooking water next time to thin the soup a bit, as mine is very thick, but would absolutely stick to recipe otherwise. The pickled shallot/beet topping, stirred into the individual bowls, really made the dish. Not sure the basil added anything except color.
lynn
I made it per recipe the first time I made it. Served the soup chilled and everyone loved it. I roasted the beets, instead of boiling, the second time I made it and served it warm; everyone still loved it.
lynn
I used my food processor rather than a blender, but had to add more liquid to get it to the right consistency. Combination of more buttermilk and white wine.
John
Use whole milk KEFIR
Lindsay
I used low-fat buttermilk and it wasn't sour enough, so soup was bland and uninteresting without the condiments. Absolutely whole fat buttermilk next time. Also agree that consistency was too thick, so will save cooking water to thin as suggested by Kaylaps, below.
Eltjo Timmer
Great tasty recipe, to dilute the soup a bit, because I had used a somewhat thicker kefir, I added some soda water, which created a frothy consistency, really delicious.
Linda BB
I used red beets, they took a long time to cook and did not peel easily, but it was a minor convenience. The soup was absolutely delicious, definitely adding it to my repertoire.
Jeanne Marie
We agree this made the finest chilled soup we have ever had, and I have recently been making lots of them: cucumber, potato, parsnip, zuccini. Good buttermilk added a tangy finish, and the texture of the blended beets was silken. I will try this with red beets and also kefir as suggested, for variety, and because it is good to use what you have on hand on occassion. What a gem of a simple recipe!
mmhowards
Use whole milk KEFIR
patty
This is absolutely delicious and easy. Kate’s buttermilk and my csa red beets. Wow! Breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Judy Wang
The soup was delish. My husband who hates beets even said it was so good. You can find full fat buttermilk in Indian grocery store.
LInda
This is delicious. It would be helpful if a more specific measurement was given for the quantity of diced beet to add to the shallot mixture. “1 beet” is too vague. I ended up not having nearly enough, and the puréed portion was really thick.
deb
so delicious. used 2% buttermilk which was perfect, and saved the broth from the cooked beets to thin the soup out a little. skipped the herbs and sour cream but the shallot/beet vinegar mixture and olive oil drizzle was so good.
Catherine
delicious soup, I did have to use low fat buttermilk but I did not find the flavor to be off. Good quality buttermilk is the key, Organic Valley
Lou
7/20 GL half recipe, excellent. light gold color, foamy. Cuis.
Pilgrim Laker
Found golden beets from the summer garden already roasted in the freezer. Decided to experiment with making this a warm soup suitable for winter. Added a teaspoon of extra shallot to give it more heft. Serving it with sour cream and basil for lunch with friends along with ham and swiss sandwiches. Wish me luck.
LER
Made with lowfat kefir (I accidentally bought lowfat rather than full fat). It was delicious! Garnished with marinated beats, quick pickled spring onions, dill, and fresh sorrel.
lynn
I made it per recipe the first time I made it. Served the soup chilled and everyone loved it. I roasted the beets, instead of boiling, the second time I made it and served it warm; everyone still loved it.
John
Use whole milk KEFIR
Marjorie Braker
This is a beautiful and delicious summer soup. Pale yellow, just enough tang. I have made twice and will again. I used the best buttermilk I could find locally - Alpenrose. Tasted fine to me.
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