Beetroot soup

Some friends came round for dinner recently, and I made beetroot soup because I love beetroot and it was rather cold outside. It seemed like the perfect thing. My friend Bella asked for the recipe, so I thought, as I was writing it down anyway, I would share it with you. If you're not into beetroot, then there's no way around it - this isn't for you! If however you are, then here goes:

Serves 4-6

-----------------------------------------------------

• Start with a bunch of 6 or so fresh beetroot. Cut the stems off and keep them for later.

• Cut the beetroot into quarters and place in a roasting tray with olive oil, lots of salt and rosemary sprigs. Coat them in the oil well.

• Roast for 30 ish minutes

• 10 mins before it is time take the beetroot out, add 4-5 cloves of garlic (still in their peel) to the tray.

• Let the beetroot cool a bit, then rub the skins off with your fingers (this is messy!). Pop the roasted garlic cloves out of their skin too.

• While they're cooling, sweat two white onions, roughly chopped, in the bottom of a saucepan with some olive oil.

• Add the beetroot bits and garlic cloves to the pan

• Grate in a carrot

• Add a pint of vegetable stock and simmer for 15 minutes or so with the lid loosely on.

• Take it off the heat, let it cool a bit and then blitz it up

• You might want to add a bit more water or stock at this point, depending on the consistency that you'd like.

• Season it, and add a slug of white wine or cider vinegar and stir it in.

-----------------------------------------------------

I think that's everything! Serve it with a fancy, fairly robust bread (something spelty and with seeds in is perfect) and garlic roulé.

Photo by Carly (thanks for stopping to take it! I just gobbled mine).