Ingredients

• 3 lb medium beets without greens (8 medium; about 4 lb with greens), scrubbed well and trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
• 4 qt water
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb smoked turkey legs or wings
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 4 sprigs fresh dill plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Special equipment: heavy-duty (sometimes labeled "fine") cheesecloth
• Accompaniment: liver and mushroom pirozhki LINK

Instructions

1. Boil beets, covered, in water (4 quarts) in a 6- to 8-quart pot over moderate heat until tender, about 40 minutes. Transfer beets with a slotted spoon to a plate to cool slightly, reserving cooking water. When beets are cool enough to handle, slip off skins. Cut 1 beet into 1/4-inch dice and reserve for garnish. Cut remaining beets into 1/2-inch pieces and return to cooking liquid in pot. Add turkey, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, dill sprigs, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns and simmer, partially covered, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Pour soup through a dampened cheesecloth-lined sieve set into a 3-quart heavy saucepan, discarding solids. Measure soup: If there is more than 6 cups, boil in cleaned pot until reduced; if there is less, add enough water to total 6 cups.
2. Skim fat from consommé, then add lemon juice and sugar and heat until hot.
3. Divide diced beet and chopped dill among 8 shallow soup plates and ladle consomm on top.