Creamy Beetroot Soup

Ingredients 

1kg beetroots

topped, tailed, scrubbed clean and cut into large pieces

1 red onion

cut into wedges

3 cloves garlic

½ a small bunch thyme

plus a few leaves

500ml vegetable stock

100ml crème fraîche

½ lemon

juiced

TOASTS

3 slices sourdough

cut in half

4 tbsp caramelised onion chutney

150g blue cheese

Method 

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the beetroot, red onion and garlic into a roasting tin, pour in 150ml of water, season well and scatter over the thyme. Cover with a double layer of foil and put into the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the beetroots are very tender to the point of a knife.

Remove the foil, then peel the beetroots and discard the skin, then chop into small pieces. Put into a pan with the onion, garlic and vegetable stock, bring to the boil then use a hand blender to whizz until completely smooth, or ladle into a blender and whizz. Season, then stir in the crème fraîche and lemon juice, and whizz again. Keep warm.

Step 3

Heat the grill to high. Put the bread pieces onto a baking tray and toast on either side. Spread each piece with the chutney and then add a piece of blue cheese, some thyme leaves and walnuts. Grill until melted.

Spoon the soup into bowls and top with the toasts.

TIP 

Serve cold in summer for a refreshing yet filling lunch!