Wrap beet in foil. Roast in a 400 degree oven about 1 hour or until just tender. Cool. Peel and dice or grate; set aside.

Meanwhile, in a 4-quart Dutch oven cook and stir onion in hot butter over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender. Add cauliflower, turnips, celeriac, potatoes, fennel, parsnips, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the 1 1/2 cups milk. Let cool slightly.

Transfer soup mixture in batches to a blender or food processor; cover and blend or process until smooth. Return all soup to Dutch oven. Add additional milk to reach desired consistency. Heat through. Ladle into individual bowls and sprinkle with beets and, if desired, chives.

Make-Ahead Directions: Roast, peel, and dice or grate beet as above. Cover and chill beet up to 24 hours. For soup, prepare soup thorough step 2. After cooling slightly, blend or process as in step 3. Do not return to Dutch oven as directed. Transfer mixture to a storage container and refrigerate up to 24 hours. To serve, return mixture to Dutch oven and stir in additional milk to desired consistency. Heat through and serve as above. Makes: 10 servings