Tchaikovsky ~ Symphony #5
It is ML's birthday on Thursday and to celebrate we are going with a few close friends to see the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra perform Tchaikovsky's Symphony #5. Marvellous! So I have been enjoying it on my kitchen play list over the last few weeks in readiness for the night. I love going to classical concerts..always have. It's good to have an eclectic taste in music although I will always identify as a rocker! Can take the gal out of the rock concert but you can't take the rock out of the gal! Seriously though I have always greatly enjoyed the classics even when I was a small child. I've shared before my obsession for the cello...well that still lives on and the thought of hearing the cellos on Thursday night makes my whole body shake with excitement. I simply cannot wait.
Beetroot soup is also another long time love although I do not obsess over it like I do the cello. That would make me a little erm...crazy? But I do love the globes of purple goodness. I love it raw, roasted, juiced, in stuff and even pickled in a jar. The memories that come flooding back when I open a rare jar of baby pickled beets are very happy ones of Christmases past. Boxing Day (the day after Christmas Day for non Brits) was always a cold cuts day. (OK shuddering at that bit but as I never ate meat I was OK..phew) My Nan used to place on the dining table a selection of pickled veggies to go with the cold cuts and cooked veggies. I think my plate was 90% pickles and 10% potatoes and bread. I would happily sit and munch my way through the crisp pickles and then wonder why I always had a tummy ache after! Ah the good old days...
I know a lot of people when confronted with fresh beets go straight to a traditional Borscht soup. Don't get me wrong I love a good vegan Borscht...but there are endless dishes you can make with them. I take great delight when finding fresh beets in the supermarket as they can be quite rare. When I was a kid my Grandad always grew his own so we always had an good supply. During a recent shopping trip with Ann we found we needed to ask the grocery dept assistant to help us track down some 'fresh beets'....she took us around the aisle and proudly pointed out the un-vinegared packs of cooked beets. She actually thought that was the freshest they could be. Sad isn't it?
Today's recipe is something I threw together...quite literally. I had a bag of beautiful beets and wasn't feeling the salad love so I washed them, wrapped them in foil and threw them into my already hot oven and I left them there until there were just tender. That is the only pre-cooking for this soup so if you have leftover beets this is a great way to use them up. And if you can't get fresh beets I think the pre-cooked packaged would work but they wouldn't have the fresh texture. All the ingredients were thrown into my soup pot and brought up to a boil. And then I left it to simmer on the stove whilst I got on with other kitchen duties. I just threw in ingredients that I felt the need for that day..no other reason than that. My only want was that it wasn't a Borscht...
After blending a third of the soup and adding it back to the pan. I brought it back up to the perfect eating temperature and then served it with a slice of GF bread. When Ann and I sat down to eat it we had already been drooling all the way to the table because of the aroma coming from the bowls. It smelt divine and tasted even better...I could eat this soup everyday for the rest of my life and never tire. Yep...I admit it..it was that tasty and the fact that it was packed with goodness was just a bonus. I am now hastily trying to find some more fresh beets...just so I can make this soup again. I loved the textures from the beets, beans, onions and caraway seeds that sat happily in a rich, spicy sauce. I liked the thick sauce but you could add a little more water to it to thin it out. When a 'last minute thrown everything in' recipe works I get really happy. Hope you try it out and let me know what you think?
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| Rocket & Roses Beetroot Goodness Soup |
Rocket & Roses Beetroot Goodness Soup Serves 4
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)
3 large beetroots, cooked, peeled and chunked
2 med red onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 14oz tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
I heaped cup of split red lentils, rinsed and drained
3-4 cups of hot low sodium veggie stock
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
freshly ground Himalayan salt -scant
freshly ground black pepper - generous
finely chopped fresh parsley to serve
In a large soup pan add all the ingredients and stir well, cover and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove one third of the soup and blitz until smooth and then add it back into pan. Heat through and serve sprinkled with some fresh parsley.
Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope your weekend has been a splendid one....
~Red~
NB: This is my creation. I do not have a problem with you using it or sharing it as long as you link it back to me and give credit where its due...as I always try to. Many thanks...Namaste. ~R~
