HOT OR COLD BEET- FENNEL SOUP

• portions: 6

Ingrédients

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and cut into chunks

I large red or sweet onion, such as Vidalia, cut into chunks

2 garlic cloves, germ removed (see page 320)

3 sprigs fresh thyme or oregano (optional)

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

6 cups (about 1½ liters) chicken or vegetable broth

5 medium red beets, trimmed, peeled and cut into chunks

For serving (optional)

Plain Greek yogurt, sour cream or crème fraîche

Strawberries, hulled and cut into small pieces

Cucumber, preferably mini (Persian), peeled (or not) and cut into rounds or small dice

Minced fresh herbs, for sprinkling

Cracked ice cubes

Instructions

WORKING AHEAD

The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept tightly covered in the refrigerator. If you want to reheat it, do so gently.

Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into a Dutch oven or large saucepan and warm over low heat. Add the fennel, onion, garlic and herb, if you're using it, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften, about 15 minutes; if you need to, add a little more oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the broth and beets, turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 45 minutes, depending on your beets. Don't be impatient — the beets must be easily pierced with a knife.

To puree the soup, use a blender, either standard or handheld (immersion), or a food processor. Working in batches and discarding the spent herb sprigs when you come to them, puree the soup, giving it just a minute more than you might normally in order to ensure that you get a silky texture.

You can serve the soup hot or let it cool a bit and then refrigerate until it's thoroughly chilled. If you've refrigerated the soup, stir it before serving. Hot or cold, the soup is good with any of the suggested toppings; the strawberries are especially good when the soup is chilled. For the cold version, I like to put a couple of ice cubes in the bowls (or glasses) before I pour in the soup.

Notes

I love when you can get a mountain of flavor from a molehill of ingredients — in this case, beets, fennel, onion and garlic. I first made the soup in late spring when, with the enthusiasm that overtakes me as soon as new vegetables come into the markets, I'd bought too many beets. I roasted a bunch, pickled a few and then made this soup, which I continued to make through the summer and into fall. It's good at every temperature, but I think my favorite is cold. The strawberries were a last-minute inspiration and chosen for both their color and their sweet-acidic pick-me-up flavor. You can serve the soup straight from the fridge or you can double up on the chill, as I do, by pouring it over ice cubes. Sometimes I serve soup-on-ice in highball glasses with a straw, but most of the time I ladle it into bowls and finish it with a scoop of thick Greek yogurt, a few cilantro or parsley leaves, cucumber coins and some strawberries.