Beetroot Soup

Everything about this soup is bold, I would advise wearing a boiler suit rather than an apron when making it just in case you have an unreliable blender. I say it is a beetroot soup, but it is the accompanying ingredients that really help this soup not become a Russian nightmare. This is when we introduce the apple (of a cooking variety) and the parsnip (of the delicious variety). These two partners quel the heartiness of the beet as well as celebrate it sweeter side. Other than a little sugar, this soup is also astoundingly good for you with only a small amount of oil and butter used to sauté the veg in.

I made this just before Halloween and it would have been very fitting to consume over the weekend, as the colour is so intense.

If you have yet to be a beetroot convert, maybe try making this for someone who you know is and then sample. Even if you don't love a soup, some warm homemade bread with melting butter makes anything delicious.

I neglected to do so, but a scattering of dill and a spoon of marscapone or ricotta would make for wonderful presentation starting a dinner party of just for some extra flavours.

For 6 Bowls:

5 Beetroots, just slightly smaller than a tennis ball

3 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped

3 parsnips, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 white onion, chopped

2 cups of vegetable stock

1 tbsp caster sugar

Oil and a knob of butter

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F place your beets in an ovenproof dish and cover in foil, cook for an hour.

Whilst the beetroots are in work on the rest of the veg. Heat a knob of butter and a table spoon of oil in a pan over a medium-low heat and add the onions, carrots and parsnip. Let them sweat a little but be sure not to let them brown or burn. Cook them for about fifteen minutes like this, if they need a little liquid add some of the stock. Once they are looking tender add the apples, sugar and half a cup of stock, cover and let stew for fifteen minutes. Everything should be softening up nicely. Take off the heat and wait until the beetroots are done.

Take the beets out of the oven and carefully remove the skin. Chop them up and add them to the stock pot. Add the rest of the stock and season to taste, bring everything to the boil. Make sure all the veg is tender.

I would advise using a blender with a lid rather than a stick, but needs must. Puree until smooth and if you want it slightly runnier then add a little more stock.