Name: Roasted Beet Soup with Crème Fraîche
Yield: Makes 2 first-course servings
Ingredients: 1/2 pound red beets (about 3 medium); 1 1/2 teaspoons butter; 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil; 1 leek (white and pale green parts only), chopped; 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 1 celery stalk, chopped; 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper; 2 cups water; 1 small bay leaf; 1 fresh thyme sprig; 1 fresh parsley sprig; 1/4 cup whipping cream; 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream

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Roasted Beet Soup with Crème FraîchePornchai Mittongtare

What to drink: Pour brut or rosé Champagne throughout the meal, or pair the soup with a light red wine (try an Oregon Pinot Noir) and the Oven Roasted Dungeness Crab with a fragrant dry white, such as Viognier or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

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