Serves 2

Preparation time:  10 minutes

Cooking time:  15 minutes

You’ll need:
For the soup:
250g cooked beetroot (1 packet), cut into chunks
½ large onion, diced
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
375ml vegetable stock

For the croutons:
2 slices of baguette
olive oil for brushing
1 peeled garlic clove, cut in half
½ small goats cheese (i.e. Capricorn), cut into rounds
2 sage leaves, finely sliced

What to do:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.
2. In large saucepan, sweat the onion gently in the olive until it softens. This will take around 10 minutes – be careful not to burn the onions, you are not trying to caramelize them.
3. Whilst the onions are cooking start the croutons. Brush the bread slice on both sides with olive oil and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until they are crisp and dry.
4. When the onions are soft, add the crushed garlic to the pan and gently fry for a further minute and then add the beetroot, stock and balsamic vinegar. Bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes.
5. Using a liquidiser or stick blender, blend the soup until really smooth. Keep warm whilst you finish the croutons.
6. Rub the garlic clove over one side of the now dried bread slices and top each slice with a round of goats cheese. Sprinkle over the sliced sage leaves and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Put back in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese has begun to melt.
7. Pour the soup in bowls and float a crouton on top of each. Serve immediately.

Submitted by www.lovebeetroot.co.uk