Sometimes I make this soup with just beef stock alone, but when I want to make it extra special, I add some finely chopped, good quality beef when cooking the onions, carrots and celeriac. You can use shin of beef or a little steak- whatever your budget allows.
1lb /450g washed, peeled and grated beetroot
2 tblsp red wine vinegar
3tblsp tomato puree
3 oz/ 85g butter
1.5 litres / 2 ¾ pints beef stock
8 oz/ 225 g of a mixture of onion, celeriac and carrot
1 tblsp plain flour
1 lb/ 450g finely shredded cabbage
I potato –grated
Salt and pepper
1 tblsp sugar
METHOD
- Melt 1 ½ oz/ 42g the butter in a large pan and add the beetroot, red wine vinegar, tomato puree and half pint /300ml of stock. Simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Melt the remaining butter in another pan and cook the onion, carrot and celeriac until a pale golden colour.
- Add the flour and cook for a few minutes until well mixed in.
- Add 1 tblsp sugar to the mix along with salt and pepper.
- Add the onion, carrot and celeriac mixture to the beetroot mixture, along with remaining stock.
- Cook for 15 minutes on a medium heat.
- Add the cabbage and potato and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Season to taste and serve with sour cream.