Jono & Jules do food & wine

We often grate baby beetroots over salads in the summer months. In winter time they’re often a bit big and intimidating, and you have to buy them in a whole bunch. So here’s some beetroot inspiration in case you’ve got some in your veg box this week. This tastes even better the following day.

Borsht – serves 4 to 6

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil or 15g of butter
• 3 medium beetroots (about 450g unpeeled weight), peeled and diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 celery stick, diced
• 1 large waxy potato, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1.5 litres beef stock
• ½ green cabbage, finely shredded
• 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 2 tbsp from a tin of tomatoes

TO SERVE:

• 300g sirloin steak, trimmed of fat
• sour cream or crème fraîche
• dill (we substituted parsley but do use dill if you can)

Heat the oil or butter in a large heavy saucepan. Add the beetroot, carrot, celery, potato, onion and garlic, and sauté for a couple of minutes or until combined and coasted in fat.

Pour in the stock and season. Bring the soup almost to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cabbage and tomatoes, put the lid back on and simmer for another 20 minutes. Season to taste.

About 10 minutes before serving, cook the steak on a hot griddle pan for a couple of minute on each side. Leave to rest for 5 minutes, then slice really thinly and add any meat juices to the soup.

Divide the steak between the bowls and ladle the soup on top. Serve with some sour cream and dill on top.

(Original recipe by The Hairy Bikers in BBC Good Food Magazine, October 2015.)