Beetroot and Apple Soup by Kirsten Gilmour of The Mountain Café in Aviemore
Us Kiwis love beetroot, but this is definitely not a Kiwi soup! This one came from Aggie, a crazy Polish chef-lady who worked for us at the café for eight years. When she made beetroot soup I thought to myself, ‘that will never sell…’ but it flew out of the kitchen pass and the customers raved about it.
This recipe comes from The Mountain Café Cookbook (Kitchen Press Publishing), by Kirsten Gilmour. Kirsten runs the popular Mountain Café in Aviemore and the cookbook includes many of recipes from there.
The Mountain Café has been shortlisted for the ‘Best Eatery’ category atthe Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards. With some of the best natural produce in the world, the Awards showcase the wide range of food and drink products in the region and the equally diverse profile of businesses, from internationally renowned companies to innovative producers.
For more information visit http://www.hifoodanddrinkawards.com
Ingredients: Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped with skin on
1 stick of celery, chopped
500g beetroot, peeled and cut into small even chunks
1200ml vegetable stock (or 2 stock cubes in 1200ml of hot water)
240ml apple juice
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crisp apple slices for garnish
Horseradish sour cream for garnish
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pan over a medium to high heat and sauté the onion, apple, and celery until the onions are translucent and glossy but not coloured.
2. Add the beetroot and stir, then add the stock and apple juice while still on the heat.
3. Cook on a medium heat with a constant fast simmer for about an hour until the beetroot is tender.
4. Blitz until smooth and add a little extra hot water or apple juice if the soup is too thick.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Before serving, reheat the soup as quickly as you can and avoid keeping it hot for too long as you will lose the vibrant purple colour. The soup is lovely served with crisp apple slices and a dollop of horseradish sour cream.
In association with Taste Communications.
www.tastecommunications.co.uk
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