Chilled Beet-And-Fennel Soup

• 1 pound small beets
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 3/4 cups chopped fresh fennel bulb
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Leave root and 1 inch of stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place beets and fennel seeds in a medium saucepan; cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until tender. Drain beets through a fine sieve into a bowl, reserving fennel seeds and 3 cups cooking liquid. Rinse beets under cold water; drain. Peel beets; cut into 1/2-inch cubes, reserving 3/4 cup for garnish. Combine remaining beets, reserved cooking liquid, and fennel seeds in a bowl; set aside.
2. Combine 1/4 cup water and oil in a medium nonstick skillet; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add fennel bulb and onion; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender.
3. Combine fennel bulb mixture, beet mixture, buttermilk, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Pour soup into a bowl; cover and chill thoroughly. Ladle 3/4 cup soup into individual bowls, and top with 2 tablespoons reserved beets.

beets, fennel seeds, water, olive oil, fresh fennel bulb, onion, lowfat buttermilk, salt, pepper

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chilled-beet-and-fennel-soup (may not work)