Ada’s Cold Beet Soup with Cucumber, Radishes, and Egg

Adrianna “Ada” Jackowska has the talent to make me smile even on my grumpiest days. So does her Polish cold beet soup. She is the first person who convinced me that cold soup can be great. The soup she grew up with is called chłodnik. It’s vibrantly pink, and so crisp, it tastes like biting into a vegetable garden—I find it more refreshing than a salad.

Traditionally in spring or early summer using baby beets and their tender greens, this soup combines grated raw cucumber and radishes and topped with fresh dill and chives. The vegetables are stirred into a chilled kefir-buttermilk-yogurt mixture and crowned by a soft-boiled egg. Perfect frugal simplicity. Some add crayfish, which I don’t think it needs.

Sticking to vegetables and making them shine without distraction is the pure beauty of this soup. And it’s quick to prepare: You cook the beets for five minutes and then mix it all together. Ada makes enough for six servings, as it stays fresh in the fridge for a few days, developing just the right depth and flavor on the third day, and is also perfect for inviting friends over.

Ada’s Cold Beet Soup with Cucumber, Radishes, and Egg

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• Author: Meike Peters
• Yield: Serves 6

Print Recipe

Description

Try this new way of incorporating beets into your diet.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the soup:

• 1½ pounds (680 g) baby beets with their greens (or regular beets plus 2 large chard leaves)
• Fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (200 ml) water
• 11 ounces (310 g) peeled kirby or Persian cucumbers, coarsely grated
• 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (500 ml) buttermilk, cold
• 12/3 cups (400 ml) kefir, cold
• 1¼ cups (300 ml) full-fat plain yogurt, cold
• 10 medium radishes, trimmed and coarsely grated
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1 medium bunch fresh chives, chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh dill, chopped, reserving a few fronds for the topping
• Finely ground pepper

For the topping:

• 3 to 6 large eggs
• 18 thin cucumber slices
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• Freshly grated lemon zest (optional)

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Instructions

1. For the soup, peel the beets and cut into small cubes, then finely chop the beet stems and slice the leaves. Transfer the beets, stems, and leaves to a medium pot and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt, the sugar, and the water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until al dente. Transfer the beets and cooking liquid to a medium bowl, let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, and then chill in the fridge until cold.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the cucumbers with a generous amount of salt and let sit for 15 minutes, then drain and squeeze the cucumber.
3. For the topping, place the eggs in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, cook for 4 minutes for soft-boiled eggs. Drain the eggs and rinse with cold water. Peel the eggs, set aside, and cut in half lengthwise just before serving.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, kefir, and yogurt, then stir in the beets and their cooking liquid, the drained cucumbers, grated radishes, lemon juice, chives, and dill. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice.
5. Divide the cold soup among bowls, arrange a few cucumber and radish slices on top, and place a half or a whole egg in the middle. Sprinkle with a little lemon zest and dill and serve immediately. You can keep the soup in the fridge for up to 3 days.

From Noon: Simple Recipes for Scrumptious Midday Meals and More by Meike Peters, © 2023.
Published by Chronicle Books.
Photographs by © Meike Peters.

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