- Hearty & Grounding
- Starters
- Vegetarian
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 40 min
- Serves 4 as a starter, 6 in small bowls
A deep, ruby-red soup that is earthy, a little sweet and sharp with vinegar. A swirl of sour cream floats on top like a pale moon. Serve it hot in small bowls to start a meal, or cold on a warm day.
Ingredients
- 600 g raw beetroot, peeled and diced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 tart apple, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 to 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, to taste
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 tbsp sour cream, to serve
- Fresh dill or chives, to finish
Method
- Melt the butter in a large pot and soften the onion, carrot and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the beetroot, apple, stock and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for 30 minutes until the beetroot is completely tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and blend until velvety smooth.
- Stir in the vinegar and sugar, then season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more vinegar if it needs a sharper edge.
- Ladle into warm bowls. Spoon a little sour cream in the centre, swirl it into a round moon shape with a spoon and finish with dill or chives.
Leave a Reply