Barnet Soup

Ingredients

Contains: milk, wheat (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 2 parsnips
• 3 large beetroot
• 2 large waxy potatoes (such as charlotte or pink fir apple
• 2 large carrots
• 2 cloves garlic
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 4 sticks celery
• 2 large leeks
• 850ml/1½ pints chicken or vegetable stock
• 1½ tsp freshly grated horseradish
• 4 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1 tsp olive oil
• a squeeze of lemon
• 4 slices of good, crusty white bread
• butter

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Wrap the whole beetroot in foil with a splash of the olive oil and roast for about 60 minutes until tender. Cool, peel and dice.

2. While the beetroot roasts, finely chop the onion, celery, leeks, carrots, parsnips and potatoes. Crush the garlic cloves.

3. Heat some of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Cook the onion, leeks and celery for 10 minutes until soft.

4. Add the garlic, carrots, parsnips and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

5. Add the beetroot and stock, season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes until all the vegetables are very tender.

6. Blend the soup until smooth. Return it to the pot, stir in the horseradish and lemon squeeze, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

7. Melt the butter with the remaining 1 tsp olive oil in a frying pan. Fry the bread slices for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.

8. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, swirl in the crème fraîche and serve with the fried bread.