Serves 4
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min

1 medium onion
1 large garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
Knob of butter
1 large cooking apple, about 300g
1 small lemon
4 medium raw beetroots, approx 500g
800ml hot chicken stock (or 1/2 chicken stock cube dissolved in 800ml boiling water)

METHOD
Peel and finely chop or grate the onion. Peel, chop and crush the garlic with a pinch of salt to make a juicy paste. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy-based, lidded pan and gently soften the onion and garlic.

Meanwhile, quarter, peel and chop the apple. Toss with juice from half the lemon. Trim and peel the beetroots, then grate on the large-hole side of a cheese grater. Add the apple and juices, the beetroot and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper to the softened onion. Add hot stock, bring to the boil and boil for 10 minutes until the apple is broken down and the beetroot tender. Liquidize.

Return to a clean pan, reheat, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and lemon. Serve hot with a dollop of soured cream and snipped chives, cold and on its own.

Times Recommends

• Jane MacQuitty’s party wine
• Oliver Peyton's Christmas pavlova
• Blood orange cosmopolitan