Beetroot soup with horseradish yoghurt

Description

Serve this soup in small bowls or glasses for the drama queen effect. This is also brilliant in summer as a chilled soup.

Ingredients

3 shallots
2 celery stalks
500g/17½oz beetroot, cooked and peeled
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
300ml/10½fl oz vegetable stock or water
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp prepared horseradish cream
100g/3½oz thick natural yoghurt
fresh chives, to serve

Method

1. Finely chop the shallots, celery and beetroot.
2. Mix the vegetables together in a bowl with the crushed garlic, vinegar and olive oil.
3. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate for two hours or overnight (in the fridge).
4. Blend to a smooth purée in a blender.
5. Add the vegetable stock or water, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, and pour into a pan. Simmer gently for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Mix the horseradish cream with the yoghurt in a bowl.
7. To serve, pour the soup into six small bowls or heatproof glasses. Spoon the horseradish and yoghurt mixture on top, grind over some pepper and garnish with chives.