I made this for dinner last night, and it was yummy. I managed to use up my red cabbage and beets, plus onions, carrots, and garlic from the garden, and thyme and dill from my backyard herb garden. This is from the newish Cooks Illustrated Complete Vegetarian Cookbook.
Beet and Wheat Berry Soup with Dill Cream
Serves 6
Soup
2/3 cup wheat berries (not the quick cooking or precooked kind), rinsed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 pound beets, trimmed, peeled, and shredded
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Dill Cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. For the Soup: Toast wheat berries in dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to darken, about 5 minutes; transfer to bowl.
2. Heat oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Stir in onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cayenne and cook until darkened slightly, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in broth and water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in toasted wheat berries, cabbage, beets, carrot, bay leaf and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until wheat berries are tender but still chewy and vegetables are tender, 45 minutes to 1 1/4 hours.
4. For the Dill Cream: Meanwhile, combine all ingredients in bowl.
5. Off heat, discard bay leaf, and stir in vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Top individual portions with dill cream and serve.
