Apple, Beetroot and Horseradish Soup

What better combination than the texture of earthy sweet beetroot mixed with the sharpness of a Bramley apple and the fiery horseradish. All three of these ingredients make me think of cosy nights in under the lights of a Christmas tree, it’s incredibly flavoursome and not only that, this soup is incredibly good for you too.

Beetroot is of exceptional nutritional value and is an excellent source of folic acid and a very good source of fibre, manganese and potassium but not only that, the ultimate cooking apple that it is paired with, which has been grown in the UK for over 200 years, is comprised of 86% water, making them naturally hydrating, as well as being fibre-rich and releasing their energy slowing; helping us to avoid blood sugar spikes.

There are many soups out there, and I make lots of them but I think this one holds a soft spot. It’s so incredibly rich and paired with the apple and the horseradish, it’s tangy and sweet and pairs beautifully.

Apple facts

• Bramleys have a beautifully sharp flavour and lots of juice. A cloud-like, apple ‘fluffiness’ can be created when Bramleys are cooked, hence their popularity for sweet dishes.

• British Bramley apple is a year-round feature of shop shelves, but not many people know the origins of the cooking favourite.

• British growers expect to handpick 76 million Bramley apples this year (2020) and Bramley is the only green apple grown in the UK! (Granny Smiths are not from the UK).

• They also contain malic acid which is perfect when you want to tenderise tougher or cheaper cuts of meat. Bramleys also make a great substitute for other tart fruits in curries and some Asian dishes.

• You can save 1500 calories by swapping Bramley apple puree for oil and butter while baking a cake. This is because 225g of unsweetened apple puree has 94.4 calories compared to 225g of butter which has 1613 calories. This swap works best when making Victoria sponge cake and loaf style cakes.

Ingredients

• 1kg Beetroot (if fresh - peeled and chopped) or 2 packs of 4 cooked beetroot (just adjust cooking times)

• 1 leek (chopped)

• 4 tbsp hot horseradish

• 1/4 fresh dill cut

• 1 Bramley apple (peeled and chopped)

• 1 Garlic clove

• 3 tbsp Olive Oil

• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

• 1 litre of vegetable stock (I use hot water with 1 tbsp vecon)

• Crème Fraiche to serve

Method

1.) If you have a soup maker you can pop everything into this which will cook and blend for you but if you don’t keep following.

2.) In a saucepan, pop in your garlic and your leeks and stir on a low heat until tender.

3.) Add in your stock followed by your cubes of beetroot and boil for 5 minutes before reducing to a simmer. Stir every 5 minutes or so but cook for 35 minutes until your beetroot is tender. If you are using pre-cooked beetroot you can half your cooking time.

4.) Add in your horseradish, lemon and your cubes of Bramley apple and then blend and serve with Crème Fraiche and dill. I also serve mine with a few pumpkin seeds.

This recipe is in conjunction with Great British Apples and is a sponsored post.