How to Make Chilled Sweet Red Pepper and Beetroot Soup

I was never a big fan of beetroot but I like to experiment with flavours, even with those ingredients which I wouldn't normally give too much attention to.  It is all about following recipes or even creating them and finding flavours that really work together.

Sweet Red Pepper, Beetroot, Beet, Soup, Recipe

Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Serves:
6

Ingredients
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
3 large red bell peppers, cored and seeded, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 red beets (about 450 g), trimmed, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup of water
800 ml of chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper
fresh goat's cheese, crumbled

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Cook the shallots until translucent and tender.

2. Add the bell peppers and beets and stir to coat in the oil.  Add the water and the stock and bring to the boil.   Cover the saucepan partially and reduce the heat to simmer.  Cook until beets are very tender, usually takes about an hour.

3. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.  Stir in the lemon juice, add 1 teaspoon salt and season with pepper.

4. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor.  Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate until chilled.

5. Divide the soup among bowls. Sprinkle with goat's cheese and season with pepper, and more salt if desired.