I don't much go for the trappings of Valentine's Day, but I do appreciate the excuse to cook something brilliantly, undeniably pink. Most often that means playing with beets, and this year I'm roasting them up to make a velvety, magenta-colored soup.

From the looks of them, you'd never know that humble beets could be so luscious — romantic, even. But sweetened up in the oven and pureed with good vegetable stock, they make a gorgeous, almost creamy (yet vegan) soup. This recipe incorporates two other cool-weather companions, fennel and orange, which brighten the earthy flavor.
If you eat dairy like yogurt, crème fraîche, or sour cream, you are welcome to garnish your beet soup with a dollop, or even go all out and use it to draw white hearts. It's hardly necessary, though, as this soup is full of lively flavor and color on its own. Served as a starter or light meal, it's especially satisfying with a piece of crusty homemade bread.

Roasted Beet Soup with Fennel and Orange
Serves 42 pounds beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large (about 1 pound) fennel bulb, cut into wedges (reserve fronds for garnish)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (reserve zest of 1 orange for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Toss the beets and fennel with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, thyme, a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, until the beets are tender, about 45 minutes.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute or two until fragrant. Add the beets, fennel, and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Working in batches, puree the mixture in a blender. Transfer the puree to a large pot and bring to a simmer. Stir in the orange juice and vinegar. Salt to taste.
To serve, garnish with orange zest and fennel fronds.

Related: Recipe: Borscht
(Images: Emily Ho)
Soft Aerating Pourers

Comments (7)
Mmmm...so bright-looking. Perfect to perk up a dreary, winter day.
Oh goodness, that soup is gorgeous! I've had an aversion to beets since only ever eating the canned ones as a kid, but this makes me want to try again with the real thing. Thanks, Emily!
Dwight Shrewt would approve of this soup....
Jim: Andy still doesn't know that Angela's having an affair with Dwight. And it's been 17 days. I mean, eventually he'll figure it out, when their kids have giant heads and beet-stained teeth.
I love this post because I'm currently obsessed with beets and making everything bright red with beets. I just made Valentine's Day cupcakes with pureed beets and they turned out so delicious and moist:
http://hotspicyandskinny.com/2013/02/11/valentines-day-beet-cupcakes-5-points/
Anyone have any ideas on what I could replace the fennel with? I really, really, really hate fennel, black licorice, and anise--the smell/taste makes me nauseous.
If the fennel were just being used for a garnish, I wouldn't really worry about it, but I imagine that the soup will really taste like it's missing something (and be thinner) without that pound of fennel bulb.
Try celery root, I think that would help keep flavor profile definitely doesn't have the licorice taste.
Just made this last night - I swear it looked like a prop from a D-grade horror movie while it was cooking, but it was delicious! I might roast the onions, too, next time I make it.
tonberryqueen, I think you'd want something to offset the sweetness of the beets a bit. You could reduce the amount of broth (or increase the amount of beets) and add some fresh ginger.