Cream of baked beetroot soup

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g beetroot, small, well cleaned and scrubbed
• 1 onion(s), finely diced
• 1 clove(s) garlic, stem removed, chopped
• 1 ½ liters chicken broth, light
• 100 g crème fraîche
• Salt and pepper from the mill
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, good
• Sugar
• 1 tbsp flour
• nutmeg

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Quarter larger beets and halve smaller ones. Mix with 2 tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar, a generous pinch of sugar and salt, and freshly ground pepper. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake in the oven at medium temperature for about 1 hour, until soft. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan. Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, then dust with the flour. Finely chop the soft beets and add them to the pan with any juice that has collected in the foil. Roast briefly, pour in the chicken stock, add the bay leaves, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Purée with a hand blender and pass through a sieve. Blend again with crème fraîche and a little ground nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper if desired. The soup tastes good sprinkled with a little chives and a garnish of crispy black bread croutons and fried prawns with pink pepper.