Potato Soup with a Beet Reduction
We have been on a soup kick at the house lately. Not sure why because it is not like it is cold outside. Regardless of the reason, we have been enjoying it.
I have always been a fan of cream soups and potato soup is one of my favourites. This recipe is a mild potato soup and the beet reduction gives it a nice sweet flavour.
Reduction is a trendy culinary term that essentially means the simmering/boiling down of a liquid to thicken and intensify the flavour.
Often used with juice, wine and broth a reduction sauce can add a wonderful enhancement to many dishes like chicken, steak, roast, etc.
For the soup, I poured the potato soup in the bowl first. Then, with a spoon, I gently poured the beet reduction in one spot. The reduction went under the soup and created a pocket of beet reduction in the middle of the soup. It made a sweet surprise as people scooped the soup.
Potato Soup with a Beet Reduction
Ingredients
- 4 beets
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 onion diced
- 4 shallots diced
- 5 large potatoes cubed
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 cups milk
Instructions
Beet Reduction Sauce
- Peel and cut the beets so that they will fit in juicer. Juice the beets.
- In a saucepan, add beet and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer.
- As the juice continues a low rolling boil, keep watching it as it could burn.
- Stir it often and once it reduces to about 1/3 cup remove for the heat and set it aside.
Potato Soup
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter at a medium/high heat.
- Add the onions and shallots, stirring for a few minutes. The onions and shallots will soften and start to caramelize.
- Stir in the potatoes and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then lower the heat so that it is lightly boiling.
- Once the potatoes are tender, pour in the milk and cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and blend the soup smooth using either a standard blender or a handheld kind. If the soup seems a little too thick, you could pour in some more broth as it blends until it reaches desired thickness.
- Pour the soup in a bowl and add 1 tsp of beet reduction to each bowl.
