Eat Like a Farmer: Beet and Tomato Potage

This recipe is the latest from our Eat Like a Farmer column in the Petoskey News-Review. 

A potage is nothing but a thick, blended peasant soup--a comforting and substantial one-pot meal. Here we turn up the red by combining both tomatoes and beets. Each contributes a different type of sweetness and tang. The chicken stock adds another layer of flavor, not to mention nutrition.

Best enjoyed on a beautiful, sparkling October night after a full fall harvest.

Tomato-Beet Potage with Herbs

1 onion

1 carrot

1 or 2 ribs of celery

Oil for the pan

3/4 teaspoon celery salt

2 pounds red beets

1 quart canned tomatoes (2 pounds fresh)

6 cups chicken stock

splash of lemon juice

1/2 cup fresh herbs (dill, chives, and parsley are some of our favorites)

plain yogurt, for garnish

Slice and saute the onion, carrot, and celery along with the salt and oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.

When the onions are beginning to relax, quarter the beets and tomatoes and add them to pot.

Saute until the tomatoes soften, then add the stock and salt and simmer until the beets give at the point of a sharp knife.

Add lemon juice until the soup is pleasantly tart, and puree with an immersion blender.

Ladle into bowls, and top with strained plain yogurt and copious herbs.