Chilled Puree of Beet & Watermelon
Submitted by lmd82
Slow-cooked beets pureed with fresh watermelon and chicken stock into a stunning chilled soup. Just six ingredients create a silky, naturally sweet cold soup with a vibrant magenta color.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
55 minREADY
5 hrsBeets and watermelon together? It sounds like a dare, but it’s actually genius.
Both are earthy-sweet, both are deeply pigmented, and when pureed together they create a soup so vibrantly magenta it practically glows in the bowl.
Onions cook low and slow in oil, then diced beets join and simmer until they completely fall apart and release all their natural sugars.
Chicken stock goes in for body, and then everything gets strained and blended with fresh watermelon, which adds a juicy, summery sweetness that lifts the earthy depth of the beets.
Four hours in the fridge and you’ve got one of the most striking cold soups you’ll ever serve.
Kitchen Tips
- Stir the beets often during the slow cook phase. They release sugars that can stick to the pot and burn, adding bitterness you don’t want.
- Use ripe, sweet watermelon. Bland, out-of-season melon will leave the soup tasting flat.
- Strain the cooked beets before blending to separate liquid from solids. Blend the solids with watermelon first, then add the liquid back to control the consistency.
Ingredients
Directions
HEAT THE OIL IN A STOCK POT over low heat, add the onions and cook slowly, stirring, about 7 minutes.
Add the beets and continue to cook slowly, covered, until most of their water has been released and they have fallen apart, about 35 minutes.
Stir often to avoid sticking and burning.
Add the stock and salt, cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
When the soup is finished cooking, strain and reserve the liquid.
Transfer the beets to a blender or food processor and add the watermelon.
Purée until very smooth. Return the purée to the pot and add the reserved liquid.
Chill the soup well, about 4 hours before serving.
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