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Cold beetroot soup

Name: Cold beetroot soup
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: German recipes
Ingredients: 500g beetroot, peeled and halved (see tip); ½ tbsp sea salt flakes; ½ tbsp caster sugar or clear honey; 1 litre vegetable stock; 1 waxy potato, such as charlotte, peeled and diced; 20g fresh horseradish, peeled and grated (or 20g grated hot horseradish from a jar); To serve; A few ice cubes; 100g radishes, finely chopped; ½ cucumber, diced; 4 spring onions, finely sliced; 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

By: Olia Hercules

Published: 1 Jul 15
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Olia Hercules’ vibrant beetroot soup recipe is served cold for a refreshing summer starter recipe.

Got a taste for chilled soup? Try classic gazpacho next.

Easy
June 2015

Test kitchen approved

Serves 6
Hands-on time 30 min, plus chilling and 2 days brining

Olia Hercules’ vibrant beetroot soup recipe is served cold for a refreshing summer starter recipe.

Got a taste for chilled soup? Try classic gazpacho next.

Vegetarian recipes

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 80kcals
Fat: 0.5g (no saturated)
Protein: 3.9g
Carbohydrates: 14.6g (8.5g sugars)
Fibre: 3.5g
Salt: 2.4g

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Ingredients

500g beetroot, peeled and halved (see tip)
½ tbsp sea salt flakes
½ tbsp caster sugar or clear honey
1 litre vegetable stock
1 waxy potato, such as charlotte, peeled and diced
20g fresh horseradish, peeled and grated (or 20g grated hot horseradish from a jar)

To serve

A few ice cubes
100g radishes, finely chopped
½ cucumber, diced
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

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Method

Put the beetroot in a medium bowl or container, pour over 1.5 litres water to cover, then stir in the sea salt flakes and the sugar or honey. Leave it in the kitchen at room temperature for 2 days to let it brine lightly.
After 2 days, drain the beetroot, reserving the liquid. Cut the beetroot into slices, then into 5mm dice.
Put the beetroot, stock and 300ml of the reserved brine in a pan, taste for seasoning, then bring to the boil.

Add the potato and cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Let the broth cool, then cover and chill in the refrigerator.
Add the horseradish just before serving (it is so volatile it will make you cry but will dissipate into the air quite rapidly). Season to taste. Serve the soup chilled, with an ice cube or two added, garnished with the radishes, cucumber, spring onions and chopped dill.

Recipe from Mamushka by Olia Hercules, published by Mitchell Beazley (£25; octopus books.co.uk).

Recipe from June 2015 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 80kcals
Fat: 0.5g (no saturated)
Protein: 3.9g
Carbohydrates: 14.6g (8.5g sugars)
Fibre: 3.5g
Salt: 2.4g

delicious. tips

If you don’t want to wait 2 days while the beetroot is being brined, use cooked beetroot in vinegar and replace the brine water with more stock.

Olia says: “If you can’t find any horseradish, funk it up a little with a shake or two of Tabasco. You could finish it off with a splash of sherry vinegar, if you like.
Make the soup up to 48 hours in advance and keep covered in the fridge.