Step 1

Place the beetroot, onions, thyme, bay leaves and salt with a generous splash of olive oil in a roasting pan and roast at 200ºC for about 60 -90 minutes until soft.

Step 2

Remove the beetroot from the roasting pan, and rub the skin off (please remember the gloves).

Step 3

Cut the beetroot into quarters and place in a large pot.*** (see note below)

Step 4

Add the onion flesh only (no skins) .

Step 5

Add the all the other ingredients and bring to a boil.

Step 6

Simmer at a rolling boil for about 30 minutes.

Step 7

Purée the soup to your liking, I like it smooth with a few beetroot pieces for texture.

Step 8

Serving options :

Step 9

Retain one of the beetroot and cut into small dice.

Step 10

Cross cut a baked potato (which you can bake together with the other ingredients) and squeeze it to make the insides puff out.

Step 11

Place a serving of hot soup in your bowl, add the potato, top with sour cream and garnish with diced beetroot.

Step 12

Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Step 13

I served mine with pretzels, but a good rye bread would be more traditional.