Roasted Beetroot Soup

Ingredients: 10 ml Balsamic Vinegar,3 Bay Leaves,750 ml Beef Stock,750 grams Beetroot,2 Brown Onions (with skin),1 Handful Fresh Thyme,10 ml Honey,Olive Oil,1 Baked potato -(optional for serving),Salt,7 ml Smoked Paprika (Hot or Medium),Sour Cream -(optional for serving)
Instructions:

1. Place the beetroot, onions, thyme, bay leaves and salt with a generous splash of olive oil in a roasting pan and roast at 200C for about 60 -90 minutes until soft.
2. Remove the beetroot from the roasting pan, and rub the skin off (please remember the gloves).
3. Cut the beetroot into quarters and place in a large pot.*** (see note below)
4. Add the onion flesh only (no skins) .
5. Add the all the other ingredients and bring to a boil.Simmer at a rolling boil for about 30 minutes.Pure the soup to your liking, I like it smooth with a few beetroot pieces for texture.Serving options :Retain one of the beetroot and cut into small dice.Cross cut a baked potato (which you can bake together with the other ingredients) and squeeze it to make the insides puff out.
6. Place a serving of hot soup in your bowl, add the potato, top with sour cream and garnish with diced beetroot.
7. Drizzle with a little olive oil.I served mine with pretzels, but a good rye bread would be more traditional.

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