Personal

Car Stuff

Extras

Chilled beetroot soup with herb crème fraîche

From Nigel Slater, Simple Suppers
Serves 4

For the soup
500g raw beetroot
groundnut or vegetable oil
4 spring onions
750ml vegetable or light chicken stock
For the cream
8 tablespoons of crème fraîche
2 heaped tablespoons fresh chives and mint, chopped

Set your oven to 200˚C/gas mark 6.

Cut the leaves from the beetroots and scrub. Then put your beetroots in a roasting tin with a
tablespoon of oil and three of water and cover tightly with foil. Roast for 45-60 minutes until
they’re dark and almost tender.

Warm the oil in a shallow pan. Chop the spring onions and let them soften in the oil for five
minutes. Set aside. Peel the beetroots and chop the flesh roughly. Put them in the pan with the onions, pour the
stock in and bring to the boil. Simmer for seven or eight minutes. Then let the
mixture cool slightly before putting it through a blender until smooth.

Taste your mix for seasoning – you’ll probably need to add some salt and black pepper.
Pour into a jug and chill in the refrigerator.

To make the cream, stir together the crème fraîche and the chopped herbs.

Serve the soup when it’s thoroughly chilled, then add spoonfuls of the herb cream at the table.