Borscht

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Step 2

Scrub the beets and put each beet on a separate square of aluminum foil; Use 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and drizzle a little bit over each beet. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap the beets loosely with the foil.

Step 3

Transfer the wrapped beets to a baking sheet and roast for 50-60 minutes.

Step 4

Remove from the oven and let the beets cool so they're easier to handle.

Step 5

When the beets have cooled, the skins peel off easily. Use a knife and slice off the tip of the beet and carefully pull the skins off.

Step 6

Chop up the beets into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.

Step 7

In a large pot over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Put in the onions, carrots, celery and potatoes and cook, stirring until softened, about 10 minutes.

Step 8

Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Step 9

Add the chicken broth and the beets and simmer until beets are completely tender, about 10 minutes.

Step 10

Add the thyme and the allspice and continue simmering for another 10 minutes.

Step 11

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular blender will work just fine and puree in batches.

Step 12

Blend until smooth, adding more broth if the puree is too thick.

Step 13

Stir in the vinegar and honey and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 14

Top with sour cream and serve.