Comfort foods are the best go-to foods of the chilly winter days and soups are one of them. I gorge more and more on a dinner of soup and some hearty wholesome bread on the side, the colder it gets. All I want is some quick one pot meal after work, so that I can quickly get under the quilt. Most of the weekdays I would cook tomato based soups, would add generous amount of greens or some lentils to them or even top with some lightly fried bread croutons.
And if I am in mood of being slightly adventurous, would grill a piece of paneer along with. Last week, cold gripped me badly and a big bowl of soup every night became my staple food. I spent more time under quilt sipping into really hot beverages. Even I had to take off from work for 2 days. While I had almost recovered from it {though I still have the bad throat}, I noticed few beetroots lying inside the veggie basket of fridge. I had this beetroot soup recipe already playing on my mind and the timing was just perfect.
An unopened pack of some feta from the unused stash of Christmas party grocery shopping was begging to be liberated. It was Friday night, so I waited for next morning, so that I could also take some shots of the soup during day light. This was more because of the constant inspiration and critical feedback I have been receiving from this food photography critique forum on Facebook, I recently joined. The energy and enthusiasm to learn about the subject is unbelievable in this community and I am thrilled to be a part. Coming back to the soup, it has a wonderful depth of flavors with mellowness of earthy beets paired along with sharp flavor of tomatoes and feta. Goes very well with a big slice of wholegrain crusty bread.
Recipe adapted from BBC Food
Ingredients
500-600 gm beetroots, peeled, grated coarsely, or chopped into small dice
500 gm ripe tomatoes, halved
2 clove garlic, chopped roughly
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
500 ml good stock (chicken or vegetable)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
125 gm feta cheese
Directions
- Place halved tomatoes, with skin side down on a roasting tray. Sprinkle with chopped garlic and drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Roast on 190 degree C for around 25-30 minutes, until soft.
- Rub trough a sieve to remove skin and pips.
- Heat the remaining oil in a big saucepan and saute the onion lightly. Add stock, beetroot and tomato pulp and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, until beetroot is tender.
- Transfer to a liquidizer and puree into smooth liquid. Pour back into the pan and simmer for another 2 minutes, until hot. Add salt and pepper as per taste.
- Serve hot in soup bowls with some raw beetroot julienne and crumbled feta cheese on top.
So beautiful!
Thanks 🙂
Yum! This is definitely a perfect comfort food for the colder weather. The color of the soup looks so vibrant!
Soups are always amazing in cold winter nights! Thank you 🙂
Beautiful color- and photos!!
Thank you 🙂
That sounds lovely, which flavour sings loudest? X
You get to taste both the flavors. In fact sweetness of beets is balanced by the tart flavor of tomatoes.
Love light and composition
Thank you!
Wow, this is an absolutely gorgeous soup! And the addition of feta? Yum!!
Feta does bring a zing to the flavors. Thank you for liking this 🙂
This looks and sounds absolutely wonderful. What a great recipe.
Thank you 🙂
The bowl of soup looks perfect for Delhi winter:)
Soups are definitely the best remedy for these chilly days of Delhi winters 🙂
Gorgeous, as always!
Thank you Shari 🙂
I love the tomato shot and you know I love the soup images. I agree about a one pot meal, easy and quick. I love the color of the soup.
Thank you Simi 🙂
Hope you are better now.
Day light photos come out the best. These shots are amazing. the colours are so beautiful. Sings winter right through!
Yeah, I am completely all right now. Thank you!
I tried this recipe for the first time last night for a diner with friends.It was a huge success!
They loved it and never really had tasted such a soup.
Thanks for the inspiration, your pictures are simply amazing!
Thank you Juliette! I can understand how good it feels when your friends like the food you cook for them. And I am happy that this recipe worked for you. 🙂