Chloe Koehler and Ruth Schultz, both 5th graders at Community Park Elementary School, were filmed by documentary filmmaker Jerry Tully as they interviewed chef Alex Levine about the beet soup he plans to serve at their school for the next Garden State on Your Plate tasting.
Chef Alex invited the students to watch him make the soup in the kitchens of Whole Earth Center, which specializes in organic and locally available produce in season. The beets were grown by Matt Conver, of Cherry Grove Organic Farm in Lawrenceville. Here's his recipe:
Chilled Beet and Orange Soup
Makes 2 quarts, or 8 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (soy, corn, sunflower, canola or other neutral-flavored oil)
1 cup diced yellow onions
Pinch of salt
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
5 cups diced raw beets
1 cup diced carrots
1 quart water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tbsp. miso (fermented soybean paste, optional; add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, as substitute)
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and sauté onions and ginger with a pinch of salt until the onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add carrots, beets, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil and allow to simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very, very tender.
3. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes, stir in miso (or additional salt to taste), and purée the soup, using immersion blender, standard blender or food processor. If using a regular blender, strain and reserve the liquid, then purée the vegetables in the blender with only as much liquid as is necessary to get the job done. Then return any extra liquid to the soup.
4. When soup is cooled to room temperature, stir in orange juice. Chill before serving.