Plan Ahead for Valentine’s Day

Ah, Valentine’s Day; a day of love and romance, of cupids and hearts, of chocolates and roses. It’s also a day of frantically searching your closet for something red to wear, of purchasing last minute cards and gifts, and stressing about restaurant reservations that are almost impossible to snag unless you’ve planned 6 months in advance. So why not forget about all that craziness and enjoy a romantic evening at home with the one you love. Set the table, light some candles, and serve up a delicious, heart-warming meal.

Creamy Roasted Beet Soup

You don’t have to like beets to appreciate this soup. No really. My husband isn’t a fan of beets, and he loved it! So did my toddler, in fact, her comments were, “It’s pink! And pretty! And sweet!” This colorful soup is bound to get your heart-beet going! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun.) 

Creamy Roasted Beet Soup

•  2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 medium sized beets
• 1 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• ½ inch fresh ginger root, peeled coarsely chopped
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (see recipe in Homemade Stocks)
• 1 tsp. allspice
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar (red or white wine vinegar would work, too)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4-6 Tbsp, sour cream for serving (optional)
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Serves 4-6

Preheat oven to 350°F. Scrub beets clean, then wrap in tin foil. Place in oven and roast for 1 hour, or until easily pierced with a fork. Let cool, then peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut into ¼-inch cubes. Set aside. (See Tips*)

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery until soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and ginger root and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes.

Add stock, beets, allspice, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Partially cover and continue simmering for 30 minutes. Vegetables should be very soft. Add vinegar and salt & pepper and cook for another few minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Purée soup with an immersion hand-blender right in the pot; or in two batches, purée soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return soup to pot.

Add heavy cream and heat, stirring until soup is creamy. Ladle into pre-warmed bowls, and top with a dollop of sour cream. Serve hot. (See How To* for instructions on making sour cream hearts.)

*Tips: Beets can stain hands, clothing, cutting boards, and light-colored sinks and countertops. To avoid turning everything in your kitchen red, wear kitchen gloves while handling beets, and peel over an open plastic bag set in the sink.

*How To: To make sour cream hearts, whisk sour cream in a small bowl until runny (you may need to thin with a drop or two of water). Gently place a drop of sour cream on the surface of the soup, either in the middle or in a series of small drops along the edge. Starting about a ¼-inch above the drop, slowly drag a bamboo skewer or toothpick through the center of the drop, swooping away, creating a tail.

Sidekicks:

• Serve this elegant and slightly sweet soup with a glass of sparkling Rosé; my favorite is Veuve Clicquot Rosé (pictured below).
• A spinach salad with strawberries, almonds, and pomegranate vinaigrette not only looks stunning next to this soup, but the bitter greens and tangy dressing also offset the sweetness of the beets (recipe follows).

 Vueve Clicquot Rosé

Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Almonds, and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

To make strawberry hearts, use a sharp knife or strawberry huller to carefully remove stem and hull from strawberry. Cut strawberry lengthwise in ¼-inch slices, then use knife to round tops, creating a heart.

Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Almonds, and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Salad:

• 8 cups spinach
• 2 cups hulled and sliced strawberries, about 6-8 strawberries
• ½ cup slivered almonds

Vinaigrette:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar or rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. agave syrup or honey
• ¼ cup pomegranate juice (preferably Pom Wonderful)
• ¼ tsp. ground coriander
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Serves 4

Wash spinach and pat dry, and place in a large salad bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients until emulsified.

Dress spinach with vinaigrette and divide evenly onto serving plates. Place strawberries on each salad, then top with slivered almonds (dividing evenly).