Cucumber Beet Soup

Ingredients:

1 ½ to 1 ¾ pounds beets (about 6 beets), top trimmed and scrubbed

6 cucumbers (about 3 pounds) peeled and halved lengthwise

1 tablespoon coarse (kosher) salt

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon corn oil

4 medium-size tart green apples, peeled, halved, cored and sliced into 1-inch pieces (about 1 ½ pounds)

1. Preheat the oven to moderate (350°).
2. Wrap each beet separately in aluminum foil. Arrange the wrapped beets on a baking sheet.
3. Bake the beets in the preheated moderate oven (350°) for 30 to 45 minutes or until the beets are tender; a knife will pierce the beets easily when they are cooked through.
4. When the beets are cool enough to handle, remove the aluminum foil. Peel the beets, coarsely chop them into 1 inch pieces and set them aside.
5. Meanwhile, remove and discard the seeds from the cucumber halves, using a melon bailer or a small spoon. Set a colander over a large bowl or in the sink. Grate the cucumbers into the colander and sprinkle them with the coarse salt. Let the cucumbers drain for at least 30 minutes.
6. Squeeze the drained cucumbers in a large piece of cheesecloth or a large dish towel to remove the excess liquid. Set the cucumbers aside.
7. Heat the butter and the oil in a large saucepan. Add the apples and the scallions and sauté over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until the apples and the scallions are very soft; do not brown. Pour in the vermouth and the sherry. Bring the mixture to boiling and remove the saucepan from the heat.
8. Add the lettuce, beets and cucumbers. Pour in the stock or broth and season with the teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Refrigerate the mixture, covered, until cool.
9. Working in batches, puree the soup in the container of a food processor or an electric blender until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the pureed soup to a 4 1/2-to 5-quart serving bowl (or 2 large bowls). Whisk in the sour cream. Refrigerate the soup, covered, until ready to serve.

Microwave Instructions (for a 650watt van’able power microwave oven)

Directions: Arrange the beets, without wrapping, in a single layer in a microwave-safe, 2-quart casserole dish. Pour in 2 tablespoons of water and cover the casserole dish with the lid. Microwave at full power for 12 minutes or until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the casserole dish from the microwave, uncover the dish and let it stand until the beets are cool enough to handle. Peel and coarsely chop the beets into 1-inch pieces. Continue the recipe from step 5 at left.

This recipe  would give us 16 servings.

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