We blended together two of fall’s favorite ingredients for a perfect dinner party soup. Sweet, earthy beets brighten up a traditional butternut soup while working as a tonic for the liver and a purifier for the blood. Use this recipe for the perfect dinner soup during the 21-Day Clean Program or as a way to impress company with a clean meal.
serves: 2
prep time: 20 minutes
cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the beets:
4 medium sized beets
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt, to taste
4-6 ounces chicken stock
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
For the butternut squash:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 leek, top removed, white section cut into ¼ inch rounds
2-2.5 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch chunks (about 6 cups)
2 cups chicken stock
4-8 ounces full fat coconut milk
3-4 sage leaves
sea salt, to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Place the beets in a pyrex container and coat with oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Add ½ cup of water then cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the beets are tender enough to pierce with a knife. Remove from the oven when they are cool enough to handle them and remove the skin.
Place in a blender with enough chicken stock or water to blend to a creamy, pourable consistency. Add the vinegar, rosemary and season with sea salt to taste. Return to a pan on the stove top to keep warm.
Prepare the butternut squash soup. Chop the squash and leeks then heat the coconut oil in a large pot. Add the leeks and cook until soft. Stir in the squash, cook for a minute or two then add the chicken stock.
Cover, cook for 12-15 minutes then remove from the heat, transfer to a blender and puree using the coconut milk to thin out to a creamy, but pourable consistency. Add the sage leaves and a pinch or two of sea salt. Blend again to incorporate.
To serve, fill each bowl with the butternut soup then pour in a small stream of beet soup in a circular motion. Garnish with extra rosemary and serve.
Recipe by Frank Giglio
Photography by Lynn Karlin