A smooth beetroot soup, based on the iconic Eastern European dish. If the soup is too thick for you, once puréed, just add a little more stock. Many thanks to AGA Specialist Dawn Roads for this wonderful recipe as part of our Christmas around the world series.
Serves 4
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
500g raw beetroot, peeled and roughly cut into 2cm dice
2 celery stalks, sliced
600ml vegetable stock
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp sugar
Salt and black pepper (as needed)
6 tbsp Crème fraîche
Fresh dill (as needed)
Preparation Time: 12 minutes. Cooking Time: 2 hours 2 minutes.
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan on the boiling plate, hotplate on boiling setting or induction on high.
2. Add the onion, beetroot and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in the stock, caraway seeds and salt and pepper.
4. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover with lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Continue to simmer the soup for an hour until the beetroot is tender or place in the oven. CAST OVEN: on the floor grid on the floor of the simmering oven or oven on B1. FAN OVEN: B1/120°C/250°F for around 2 hours, until the beetroot is tender.
6. Purée the soup, season to taste, add a little sugar if desired. Pour into soup dishes, garnish with crème fraîche and a sprig of fresh dill. Serve with toasted garlic bread slices.
