Beetroot Soup
from How to Eat by Nigella Lawson
- 2 or 4 small beetroots (about 725 gm- that’s a little more than 1 1/2 lbs)
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- buttermilk, yoghurt or smetana (soured heavy cream) optional
1. Put the beetroot in a large pan, cover with cold water and boil for 2 hours. (maybe an hour and a quarter if they’re small) Beetroot takes much longer to cook than anyone ever tells you.
2. Scoop out the cooked beetroots (retaining the cooking liquid) with a slotted spoon and gingerly pull off the skins, before putting in a processeor or blender together with the mustard and balsamic vinegar.
3. Puree, adding cooking liquid until the texture is as you like it,
Keep some of the cooking liquid, as the soup will thicken as it sits in the fridge and you may want to thin it out later. This soup is wonderful with a splash of buttermilk or yoghurt (or more authentically, smetana) as you eat it. It can also be eaten cold.