Listen to Me!

Many Israelis and Palestinians are no longer looking for grand solutions to existential problems. Yet, the lack of a “peace process” does not mean that efforts toward peace have been abandoned. Across Israel conversations in more intimate settings are setting the cornerstones of coexistence.

Our group heard from Nazier Margally, a Palestinian journalist who shared his wisdom about the prospects for peace. Nazier harbored no immediate hope that the Palestinian dream of autonomy might be realized. Yet, Nazier declared that he would no longer act from a place of anger. Anger would not bring about the needed changes. And he has much to be angry about. He described to us that a relative had recently died but Israeli regulations would not permit his travel to the funeral. Similarly, he could freely visit relatives in other countries, as his family was split in 1948. With expectations diminished, Nazier focuses on the smaller conversations between Palestinians and Israelis to build confidence and trust.

We met with Avi Meyerstein, a Maryland-born attorney and activist, who advocates for dialogue and cooperation. Avi’s organization, Alliance for Middle East Peace, underscores the need for discourse. For Avi, the small conversations will bring bigger gains.

We visited Beit Feel, a multi-cultural arts center in Jerusalem serving everyone, including East Jerusalem Palestinians and black-hatted Haredim alike! Here the avant-garde are those using the arts in a shared space to find commonalities among people who have been in conflict. The displays, receptions, and programs open the way to dialogue and cooperation.

We spent time with the leaders of Ramle, a mixed city of Muslims and Jews. For several years, a mediation center has encouraged ongoing dialogue between representatives of various sub-groups in the city. The program has reaped great rewards. When violent riots erupted in neighboring Lod in May, 2021, Ramle remained relatively quiet. The spirit of cooperation enabled the local leadership to sustain calm. Road access to potential outside agitators was blocked. City leaders walked the streets together bringing composure in a turbulent time. The key had been years of preparation by building trust through dialogue among the local stakeholders.

We have become accustomed to grand gestures for peace in the Middle East. Such efforts are on ice. When talking about the prospects for peaceful coexistence, the current hope should not be for a great resolution. Rather, the current situation demands that we strive for just okay. Israel poses a challenge in “enoughness” for us. Rather than focus on complete solutions, let’s just have a respectful dialogue to create important connections.

A universal truth was being realized in hotel lobbies, art spaces, and conference rooms we visited. Creating a better future begins with small conversations. Our first and perhaps most important task is to take interest in others, even those whose opinions directly conflict with ours. The very act of listening and expressing appreciation relieves tensions and paves the way to improve if not preserve lives. Perhaps we can bring some of that wisdom home to the United States where shouting and accusing have supplanted personal engagement among people of differing views.

Rabbi Evan J. Krame

 

 

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A Tale of Just Two Women

Lod is an ancient city with modern problems. Lod was first known to Americans as the location of the main airport. An important perspective of modern Israel is found in Lod, its history and histrionics. Two such perspectives were shared by two very different women.

Lod is mentioned in the Talmud. Lod occupies a strategic point between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. It gained notoriety for Ben Gurion’s order in 1948 to push the Arab residents of Lod out of the way. Modern historians have recast a dark light on the reckless expulsion of the Arab population. A few Arabs remained, a few returned, and diverse other groups moved into Lod. Lod is not an economically healthy city. Many groups have come and gone over the decades since.

Our group first met the founder of Omnia, dressed in more traditional draping, hair, and neck covered in black. Omnia is a direct Quranic name that means “wish” or “hope.” The group provides support for the Arab women of Lod.  Many live in poverty or are allowed limited access to the world by their husbands. Others are academics who wanted the support of other women who both work and raise families. We enjoyed a presentation on the Omnia’s impact on the culture and economy of the community. As a respectful observer, I asked no questions about women’s roles in Arab society or the reticence of some Arabs to participate more fully in the Israeli economy. I, and others in the group, saved our skepticism for our Jewish speaker.

We arrived at the Denver community center in Lod, which by its very name lets you know something about the origin of its American donors.  Two women warmly greeted us.  Their dress was fashionable yet modest. They represented Garin Torani (Hebrew: גרעין תורני)(lit. Torah Nucleus), a group of religious Zionist individuals and families who settled in communities with a low religious Jewish population. They aim to strengthen the community’s connection to religious Judaism, promote integration (of religious and non-religious Jews), and bring about social change. Sadly, difficult prejudices are associated with the work of the Garin Torani.

Cleaning up and rebuilding the central Israeli city of Lod after last weeks riots. May 19, 2021. Photo by Yossi Aloni/Flash90

Our discussion focused on the riots in Lod in 2021. At the time, Israel’s “lockdown” of the al-Aqsa mosque had infuriated the Muslim leadership. The speaker declared that the peaceful coexistence of Arabs and Jews in Lod was disturbed as the Muslim leadership pushed the populace to riot. Five days of riots left two dead, one Jew and one Muslim, and some destruction in the city.

The Garin Torani have used the saga of Lod as a cautionary tale against the Israeli Arabs of Israel. Stories have spread of separate times for Arabs and Jews visiting parks and separate sections of community centers. Our speaker professed devotion to helping all people. Yet, these stories spoke to a different, troubling narrative.

Like the blind men touching different parts of an elephant, I have only presented specific stories of two residents of Lod. There are 80,000 other such stories – Muslim and Jewish, Yemeni, Ethiopian, and Ashkenazi. Only by visiting Israel can we attempt to feel our way around the entire elephant. I am grateful to the Jewish Federation of Washington for providing me with this opportunity to begin to fathom the depth of these complex issues.

Rabbi Evan J. Krame

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You look like a movie

I felt special, privileged, and honored, to meet someone whose life story was noted by Hollywood. I met a man named Takele Mekonen whose life story is worthy of a feature film.

Takele is a slim, energetic man. His sharp facial features frame electric eyes powered by a passionate soul. He was born in Ethiopia. There the Jewish community prayed each day that next year they would be in Jerusalem.

As a child, Takele loved learning. Takele’s grandfather, a rabbi, taught him Judaism. Takele most enjoyed math and science in school. Anti-Jewish sentiment and civil war in Ethiopia compelled Takele and nineteen classmates to trek to Sudan in a quest to reach Jerusalem.

Over 31 days, they walked to a refugee camp in Sudan. There they found hell – disease, hunger, and despair.  In neighboring camps, they searched for other Jews on Shabbat to see who might be sitting in a tent without a fire.  There was chatter about Mosaad agents coming from Israel.  After a month, an Israeli Mosaad agent came up with a plan to free these Jews. Takele said that it was like meeting an angel, a bit of Jerusalem had arrived. He was given the task of retrieving other Ethiopian Jews. He gathered people in the camps and guided them to a meeting place. Along the way, they were beaten and harassed. After 20 trips, Takele directed 900 Jews who went to Jerusalem. Eventually, the Sudanese police were looking for Takele and he left for Israel. Takele was finally home.

For Takele, Israel is freedom. His face lights up as he declares over and over how much he loves Israel. Bringing people to Israel was his honor and only the beginning of his journey. After obtaining an advanced degree in optics, he worked for eleven years in the tech industry. Now he is spearheading an advanced educational program for Ethiopians in Israel called Tech Careers.

What about that movie?  In 2019 the movie Red Sea Diving Resort featured a storyline about an Ethiopian man who made great efforts to guide Jews to an embarkment place for their journey home. That character is based on Takele’s story.  What was special about our meeting? To drink in the commitment, appreciation, and joy of this courageous man. Takele loves Israel and I love Israel because of inspiring Israelis like Takele.

So grateful to the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington for allowing this group of nine rabbis to be in the presence of such a tzaddik!

Rabbi Evan J. Krame

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Unraveling

Today’s goal was to unravel the knotty mess that is Israel. That goal is utterly unrealistic. In Jamaica, they say “Ya Mon”. In Costa Rica, they say “Pura Vida.”  In Israel, they say “it’s complicated.”

We began our day exploring the Israeli response to the Russian war against Ukraine. To keep abreast of the needs of Jews in Ukraine, there is a situation room at the Joint Distribution Committee Headquarters in Jerusalem. We visited and spoke with staff and volunteers. In a glass conference room, there are three large screens, one with data about the progress of the war, the second providing the location of Jewish communities, and the third offering data about available services. This command center is a marvel of technology and determination.

The Joint provides direct services. In-home attendant care for the elderly, food cards or parcels where food is scarce, medical supplies, and even safe passage for those who need to flee their homes. Just before the war, 18 chesed houses in Ukraine began to stock up on food, water, and medical supplies. As bombs were falling, 70% of the in-home caregivers showed up. Many are walking long distances as public transportation had stopped in many cities.

Meanwhile, the Jewish Agency has helped over 17,000 Ukrainians with Jewish “lineage” to make Aliyah. Some non-jews have come to Israel, primarily on a temporary basis. We spoke with a father and son of a Ukrainian family who left for Romania as the war began. The mother was Jewish by birth but had been given up for adoption.  Her birth mother had come from Israel and gave proof to the family’s Jewish lineage. Perhaps for the first time in history, it paid to be identified as Jewish in Ukraine.

Agency representatives and associates talked about the many needs. Transportation, hotel rooms, food, and clothing were provided.  Some families left with nearly no possessions. And the Agency also provides psychological and spiritual care. A young Russian Jewish woman studying to become a Rabbi in Israel told us of her conversations with Ukrainian refugees. Some turned to her for solace. Others rejected her because identified as Russian. Even providing spiritual care is problematic.

Our gifts to the Federation’s campaign for Ukraine are primarily funding the Joint and the Jewish Agency’s efforts. Visiting with refugees proved the impact of our gifts. I was filled with emotion to embrace a 17-year-old young Ukrainian man, with little prior knowledge of Judaism, now wearing a kippah and planning his future as an Israeli.

And all that was before lunch. We hardly had time to discuss the impact of welcoming tens of thousands of Ukrainians as Israel confronts a housing shortage. Or to discuss how carefully Israel must tread so as not to upset the Russian sponsors of neighboring Syria. And the war in Ukraine is not the only source of refugees at this time.

I heard some amazing stories about Ethiopian refugees, which I will share in my next report.

Rabbi Evan J. Krame

Thank you to Gil Preuss, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington for your leadership.

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I’m here, I’m home

Where else can I be six thousand miles from my house and yet be home? Stepping out of Ben Gurion Airport in Israel feels like coming home. The feeling lasts through the tedious arrival process and traffic to Jerusalem. Here I’m both happy and guilt-ridden . . . just like home.

Traveling with eight rabbis, we came to learn about the refugees coming to Israel. We will also explore the internal conflicts between Israelis, Arab and Jewish. This is a tall order for just three- and one-half days.

We began with dinner at our hotel and a discussion of Israeli political theory. Both were amazing. Our guest speaker described different currents of thought, from early Zionist proto-nationalism to multi-culturalism to individual rights advocacy. This presentation was a doorway to the Israeli house in which I feel so comfortable. The mezuzah on this doorway is my affinity to all children of Israel. Yet, I am a progressive, Ashkenazi Jew differing in dress and customs from many other Jewish groups. And I am also deeply concerned for all people who are also created by God. I am here to learn how to align myself within an ethnic sub-grouping, to advance rights and opportunities for all people. That’s a tall order.

Why does this matter? It matters if you prioritize one group over another, let’s say admitting Ukrainian Jewish refugees to Israel over Ukranian not Jewish refugees.  Or if you prioritize Ukrainian refugees over Ethiopian refugees. You make choices based upon your approach to your Jewish identity as a political construct.

And why was I feeling guilt? Because I was enjoying the most delicious dinner in a beautiful courtyard at a wonderful hotel in Jerusalem. I tell myself it’s a Jewish thing. We celebrate a wedding and we break a glass. I gobble down salatim (salads), scarf down a delicious sea bream, and then eagerly await the meat course. While listening to the speaker, I have to figure out how to get a scoop of the mushroom casserole from across the table.  In the next moment, I’m pondering how my Jewish political identity impacts the plight of refugees desperate for safety and freedom. Sometimes it is difficult to live in my brain but I tell myself that many of you are just as complicated as I am. And I never got to taste the mushroom dish.

But please, tell me more about the Israeli political scene and pass the chicken.  It feels like home.

Rabbi Evan J. Krame

(And thank you to the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington for making this trip possible).

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The Best (Chicken) Soup Ever

ROASTED VEGETABLE BROTH WITH CHICKEN STOCK OPTION

Makes at least 12 cups

The broth and stock can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 6 months.

For the option, make sure the rotisserie chicken you use is Peruvian style, because that typically means it has been marinated and spit-roasted over fire—essential flavor enhancers for this recipe. I prefer birds from El Pollo Rico, a DMV chain with locations in Arlington, Woodbridge, and Wheaton.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Rimmed baking sheet (15 x 18); wire rack that fits inside or atop the baking sheet (not coated); 13-quart stock pot; 3-quart saucepan (for chicken stock option); small skillet (for toasting coriander seeds); chef’s knife; tongs; fine-mesh strainer; cheesecloth; soup ladle; large and small heatproof containers

INGREDIENTS

For the roasted vegetable broth

2 small onions

3 celery ribs

3 parsnips

2 carrots

1 fennel bulb with stalks

1 head of garlic

1 small piece fresh turmeric (small thumb-size)

1 leek (white + light green parts)

Water

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 Fuji or Gala apple

1 large bunch of fresh dill

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 bay leaf, preferably fresh

For the chicken stock option

1 whole Peruvian rotisserie chicken (see headnote)

Water

1 bay leaf, preferably fresh

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

ORDER OF DIRECTIONS

For the roasted vegetable broth: Line your baking sheet with foil, then seat the wire rack inside it. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

As you prep the following ingredients, arrange them on the wire rack. Some vegetable overlap is okay:

Peel the onions and reserve their skins for the pot; cut the onions into thick wedges.

Rinse and trim the celery and parsnips. Cut in half lengthwise, then into long chunks.

Rinse and trim the carrots. Cut in half lengthwise, then into long chunks.

Trim the fennel stalks, discarding the fronds. (You’ll roast the stalks, too.) Cut the fennel bulb into thick wedges.

Cut the head of garlic, the turmeric, and the leek in half horizontally. Rinse the leek well to remove any grit.

Transfer the filled rack (on its baking sheet) to the oven; roast for 25 minutes, turning it front to back halfway through. Some pieces should be lightly charred. If not, roast them a bit longer.

Meanwhile, fill your stockpot with 14 cups of water and place over medium heat. Toast the coriander seeds in your small skillet, over medium-low heat, for a few minutes until fragrant. Gather them on a cutting board; use the flat side of a chef’s knife to lightly crush them.

Cut the apple into thick wedges, discarding the core and seeds. Trim off the bottom few inches of dill stems.

Use tongs to transfer all the roasted pieces to the stockpot. Add any reserved onion skins, the apple wedges, dill, toasted/crushed coriander seeds, black peppercorns, and bay leaf. Once the liquid is bubbling at the edges, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes.

Line your fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth (double layer) and place the strainer over your large heatproof container.

Use tongs to remove/discard all the pieces from the pot. Carefully ladle in or pour the broth through the lined strainer. Let the broth cool to lukewarm temperature before you store it.

For the chicken stock option: You can do this while the vegetables are roasting, or when the roasted vegetable broth is simmering. Remove the skin from your rotisserie chicken; discard OR, if you want to make oven-crisped gribenes (see below), lay the pieces of skin flat on the wire rack you just used to roast the vegetables.

Use your hands or a small sharp knife to detach as much cooked chicken as you can from the bones, leaving the breast pieces intact. (Refrigerate in a covered container until ready to use.)

Place all the bones in your 3-quart saucepan. Add just enough water to cover them, which should be 3 or 4 cups, plus the bay leaf and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam on the surface. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes, checking occasionally to skim off again.

Use the same technique to strain the stock (see roasted vegetable broth, above), into a smaller heatproof container. Once it’s lukewarm, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and quite gelatinous. The yield should be at least 2 cups.

For the optional oven-roasted gribenes: Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line your baking sheet with new foil, then seat the wire rack with the chicken skin inside it. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, watching closely, until most of the pieces are firm to the touch. Let cool, where they will continue to crisp up. Break or cut into pieces for serving.

BONUS! To finish as chicken soup:

INGREDIENTS

6 to 8 cups of roasted vegetable broth (from above)

1 cup of chilled chicken stock (from above)

Sea salt

Fresh carrot slices

Bite-size chunks of skinned Peruvian chicken breast

Dried fine soup noodles OR cooked matzo balls

Fresh lemon juice

Fresh dill fronds, coarsely chopped

Oven-roasted gribenes (optional)

Heat the broth and chilled chicken stock in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Once it has heated through, add a pinch of salt and the carrot slices. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the soup noodles and chunks of chicken, if using. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, then taste and add enough lemon juice and/or more salt to brighten the flavors.

Just before serving, add the dill. Garnish each bowlful with some gribenes, if you like.

From Washington cook Bonnie S. Benwick.

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Five Freedoms for a Fantastic Seder

Five Freedoms for a Fantastic Seder 2022:

Tips for a freer and more engaging seder

 

My earliest memories of Passover Seders are of my grandfather mumbling Hebrew. The only interruption was a child singing the “di fir kashes” (four questions in Yiddish). I don’t recall seeing my grandmother during the seder because she was in the kitchen almost the entire night.  Rather than the obligatory, rote, and uninspiring Passover of the 1960s, liberate your seder! Here are some tips for a freer and more engaging seder in 2022.

  1. The bowl of freedom. Here’s how to free grandma or other chefs from the kitchen. Write an activity related to serving the seder meal on a card or slip of paper. I like index cards. Put just one activity per index card. Create more cards than there are guests. The tasks written on the cards can be anything from serving the soup to putting desserts on the table. Then, find a large bowl or box to put on the table.  Place the cards inside.  Invite everyone to take one or two cards.  If it is a large table, pass the bowl around.  Ask everyone to read their newly selected tasks out loud and be prepared to help with the meal at the right time.  Everyone has an obligation to participate in the seder, so why not in the dining experience?
  2. The wine of freedom. No more sweet concord grape wine. Open your wine fridge to some great wines that even oenophiles will love. Try champagne for the first glass. Perhaps a dessert wine for the fourth glass.  Our family loves a kosher for Passover fig arak for the closer.
  3. The chair of freedom. Our modern tradition is to gather at a dining room table, crowded and often uncomfortable. One of the obligations of the seder is to lean to the left in a show of ease and comfort. However, leaning to the left on a pillow can be a logistical challenge in the dining room. So how about moving the first half of the seder to the living area? Kids can sit on the floor while otherwise cranky aunts and uncles cuddle on the couch. Just remember to cover any furniture that would be ruined by some spilled beverage.
  4. The story of freedom. The purpose of the Passover story extends beyond a historical exercise. It is a reminder that no people should be oppressed. So bring another story of oppression and freedom to your table. Offer that assignment in advance to one of your guests. For example, my Persian brother-in-law tells how he escaped from Iran. Or offer to tell the story of Harriett Tubman.  Then invite everyone to discuss how that story of freedom relates to our exodus from Egypt.
  5. The health of freedom. Staying healthy offers us the freedom to live our lives as we choose. Some are confined by illness. Others are released by medicine, therapy, or surgery. After two years of a pandemic, how does our concept of freedom relate to illness and health? Or discuss how our nation’s devotion to freedom has been challenged. Is a healthy democracy the key to true freedom? Exercise caution here as you don’t want politics to derail a great seder.

Figuring out how to gather again requires a little bit of thought. As we are freed up to invite family and friends to our seders, liberate your seder into a brave new world!

Rabbi Evan J. Krame

 

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Borekas!

Savory Borekitas

*This recipe makes 16 individual borekitas

Required Kitchen Tools

  • Baking paper
  • Rolling pin
  • Baking tray
  • Mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Small brush
  • Espresso cup (or similar small-sized cup)
  • Toothpicks

Ingredients for The Dough

½ cup oil

¼ cup water

½ tbsp apple cider vinegar

1½ tbsp sugar 

Half pinch salt

1+ ¾ cup of white all-purpose flour

1 egg to brush

Optional for sprinkling on top: Pinch of demerara sugar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds

Vegan alternative to egg: apple sauce, tahini, soy milk

Ingredients for The Potato and Cheese filling

2 baked potatoes

  *** This should be done prior to the class – Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place thick 

sea salt in a pan. Put the potatoes over the salt, making sure they’re not touching each other and bake for an hour.

3.5 oz of feta cheese (¼ cup)

3.5 oz of parmesan cheese (¼ cup)

1 egg

Step 1: *Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes

Step 2: The Dough

  • Mix the liquids and the sugar and add ½ cup of flour until the mixture is mud-like.
  • Gradually add the rest of the flour slowly by kneading the dough.The texture should become elastic and silky.
  • Place the dough in the refrigerator to rest.

Step 3: Shaping the Dough

  • Stretch the dough onto the table with the help of the rolling pin.
  • Use an espresso cup to cut into small round shapes.
  • Fill the dough rounds with the potato/cheese mixture, and close it. 
  • Use a toothpick to make a roll under the pastry.

Step 4: The Finishing Touches

  • Brush the eggs or the vegan alternative on the top of the dough and sprinkle sesame seeds (or other options).
  • Bake the pastries in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until it is golden on top and light brown on the bottom.
  • If needed, continue to bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.
  • Once you have removed the borekitas from the oven, brush the egg wash over the borekitas while they are still hot and sprinkle with your choice of topping. 

 

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Tahini Cookies and Bars

ingredients for cookies:
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup premium tahini
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup whole wheat (or all purpose) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
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Winter Beet Borscht

Winter Beet Borscht
Recipe: Liz Rueven @kosherlikeme
8 generous servings
Dairy but may be pareve by using dairy-free sour cream or coconut cream.
Supplies: Cutting board and sharp knife, vegetable peeler, 1 sheet pan, foil, parchment paper,
blender or food processor, spice bag or twine for fresh dill.
Borscht is all about subtle contrast of flavors (sweet and sour), textures (silky and crunchy), and
colors (deep pink with a freehand swirl of white). It’s seasonal, warming, healthy and absolutely
gorgeous in all of it’s fuchsia glory. DO try to buy beets at your farmers’ markets and keep the
nutritious beet greens that top the roots. They are tasty simply sauteed with a bit of olive oil,
garlic, salt and pepper.
Tips: Allow time to roast the beets and cool them before blending.This soup is better the day
after you make it so hold off on adjusting seasoning until you’ve given it time to rest.
About these croutons: Croutons are not essential, but a nice touch if you like crunch. Dry the
bread overnight or a few hours before baking them into croutons.
Ingredients:
SOUP
2 lbs. red beets, skins on
3 Tb. olive oil
3 large shallots, peeled and rough chopped
2 carrots, peeled and rough chopped
1 celery stalk, rough chopped
1 parsnip, peel and rough chopped
1 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and rough chopped
2 Tb. ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tb. lemon juice
8 cups vegetable broth
10 sprigs fresh dill, stems on, encased in spice bag
1 lb. yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8ths
Sour cream, whole fat yogurt or coconut cream (pareve) for serving
CROUTONS
4 slices sourdough bread, crusts removed, dried overnight on a cooling rack

2 Tb. honey
1 Tb. olive oil
1 heaping Tb. fresh dill
1⁄4 tsp. Salt
Cracked black pepper to taste
MAKE THE SOUP
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 1 sheet pan with parchment paper.
Scrub the beets, keeping skin on. Wrap each beet with silver foil and place on a sheet pan.
Roast beets for 30-40 minutes until fork tender. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and
unwrap the beets. Slide the peel off the beets and rough chop. Place beets aside.
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil.
Sautee the shallots over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until translucent. Do not brown.
Add carrots, celery, and parsnip to the pot. Sautee for 5-8 minutes.
Add ginger, garlic, ketchup and lemon juice to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and saute
for another 3-4 minutes, stirring to combine.
Add vegetable broth, potatoes and dill to the pot. Add roasted beets and stir.
Bring soup to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes. Potatoes should be fork
tender.
Remove the pot from heat, uncover and allow to cool.
Blend contents at high speed, in a blender or food processor, until velvety smooth. Refrigerate
overnight (if you can wait).
MAKE CROUTONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 1 sheet pan with parchment paper.
Cut or crumble dried sourdough into small pieces. If cutting into square croutons, they should be
about 1⁄2” square. Place croutons into a medium mixing bowl.
In a small bowl or cup, combine honey, olive oil, dill, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Drizzle
and coat the bread bits with the mixture. Spread coated croutons evenly onto the sheet pan and
bake for 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and store in a tightly
sealed container until ready to use.
SERVE
Warm soup gently on simmer. Ladle into bowls and top with a swirl of sour cream. Dot with
croutons and enjoy.

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