Ingredients

• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 quantity of finely chopped fennel, to equal the quantity of onion
• 4 medium sized beetroot, peeled and chopped into 1cm dice
• 1 litre of good vegetable stock (Marigold Swiss vegetable boullion powder)
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, and finely chopped
• Garnish: sour cream and finely snipped chives
• Extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Sauté the onion and fennel, for a couple of minutes, in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Add the chopped beetroot, cover with a lid, lower the heat, and sweat for a couple of minutes.
3. Cover with the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, until the beetroot is cooked.
4. Turn off the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then liquidise the soup until it is smooth.
5. Use a wooden spoon to pass the soup through a conical sieve to get rid of the larger lumps. The soup should be a thin purée with a little bit texture. If it is too thin, work some of the seive residue through the seive and add to the soup. If it is too thick, add a little vegetable stock to thin it down.
6. Season with salt and pepper, and chill for two hours before serving.

To serve

Serve the soup in a flat soup bowl. Add a tablespoon of chopped cucumber to the centre of the bowl. Garnish with a teaspoon or so of sour cream. Sprinkle with the chives.