Burnt Book Soup

Ingredients

• 1 large beetroot (about 300 g), peeled and diced
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small white cabbage (about 400 g), finely shredded
• 1.5 liters vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp sour cream
• 1 bunch dill, roughly chopped
• 1 baguette
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Slice the baguette into thick pieces, place on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and toast for 8-10 minutes until very dark brown.
3. Sauté onion, garlic and carrot for 5 minutes in a large pot.
4. Add beetroot, potato, cabbage and tomato paste, fry briefly.
5. Pour in the stock, add bay leaves, vinegar and sugar, bring to a boil.
6. Simmer for 30 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Divide the soup into bowls. Stack 3-4 toasted bread slices upright in each bowl as a 'book tower' in the center.
9. Top with a spoonful of sour cream and garnish with dill.

Serving notes

• Serve the bread upright, as a stack of books in the center of the bowl.
• Let the sour cream rest on the bread stack as 'ash'.