Creamy Modern Barszcz (Polish Beetroot Soup)

• 30 g Unsalted butter
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 600 g Beetroot, firm, deep red
• 900 ml Vegetable stock, hot
• 1 tsp Fine sea salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1 medium Lemon, juicy
• 150 g Sour cream, full-fat
• 10 g Fresh dill, fresh and feathery

1. Peel the beetroot and cut into roughly 2 cm pieces. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the dill and set aside.
2. Melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, without letting it brown. Tip in the beetroot and stir to coat.
3. Pour in the vegetable stock, then add the fine sea salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the beetroot is very tender when pierced with a knife. Take the pan off the heat.
4. Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender. Squeeze in lemon juice a little at a time, tasting as you go so the soup stays bright but still beet-forward. Return to a low heat just to warm through if needed.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream until silky and evenly mixed. Taste and adjust with a little more lemon juice, salt, or pepper if needed. Ladle into small bowls and finish with the fresh dill.

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