BEETROOT SOUP

This is a recipe by Fabienne Viner-Luzatto, using fresh beetroot to give a really stunning, but very simple soup.  Perfect for a cold, wet and rainy autumn evening. This first appeared in the Jewish Chronicle newspaper on 18th October and online here.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 raw beetroots
• 4 medium-sized potatoes
• 1 onion, sliced
• 25g butter
• 1.5l vegetable stock

To serve:

• Pumpkin seeds
• 4/6 tbsp creme fraiche
• Optional: 2 oranges peeled, skinless, and cut in segments

METHOD

1. Peel the potatoes and quarter them.
2. Peel the beetroots and cut them in half.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and sautee over a medium heat until golden brown.
4. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Add the beetroot and potatoes and simmer for 25 minutes until they are soft.
5. Use a slotted spoon to put the vegetables into a liquidiser. Add some but not all of the cooking liquid. Liquidise the vegetables and add enough stock so that the soup has a nice velvety texture — not too thick and not too liquid.
6. Stir in some creme fraiche to obtain a nice pink colour.
7. To serve, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, add a few segments of orange, and add some drops of creme fraiche.

www.homecookingbyfabienne.co.uk