Beetroot & Cucumber Gazpacho

Back to the beetroot... Herewith a foolproof and purist recipe for the amateur, lazy and pressed-for-time.

Here are some facts about beetroot:

• Beetroot is a a powerful antioxidant, and daily consumption lowers risk of heart disease and high blood pressure drastically. 
• Beetroot increases muscle stamina, boosting sport performance, so if hard work outs are your thing, juice a beetroot before you pump iron.
• Speaking of iron, high levels of this super mineral make beetroot a perfect supplement for the fatigued, anaemic and vegetarian.
• The folic acid in beetroot makes it a great pick-me-up for fatigued moms to be, ladies wanting to fall pregnant, and hereafter healthy development of the fetus.

Ingredients:

• 2 cooked beetroots (iron, manganese, phosphorous, copper, zinc, vitamin C)
• 1 large cucumber, peeled (vitamin A, B, C, D, anti-inflammatory, electrolytes)
• 1 cup greek yoghurt (pro-biotic,  vitamin B-12)
• 4 Tbs olive oil (omega BRAIN!)
• 1Tsp white wine vinegar (levels glycemic index, regulates blood sugar)
• 1/2 clove crushed garlic OPTIONAL (anti-bacterial, vitamin C, B6, regulates blood sugar)
• salt and pepper to season

Level: Super easy            Preptime: 20 minutes

So Berlin has finally gone into summer mode, though that could change in a second. The European weather is so temperamental, strong emphasis on the second part of that word there...! To find a moment of calm among the mania in the city, in the heat, I find the answer lies in soup - this time cold (so often the answer lies in soup!). If you’re after a further shortcut, because you're busy or can't be bothered with peeling beetroot: pre-cooked and vacuum packed beetroot will definitely do the trick.

Method:

If you are cooking the beetroots first, trim heads and tails off the beetroot first and place, unpeeled into a pt of water with three tsp of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 45 minutes until the beetroot is tender to the touch but still has a firm core. You can test this by easily by carefully sticking a fork into one of the bulbs. Once the beetroot the cooked, drain, rinse and set aside to cool. Then peel using a knife or vegetable peeler.   

Quarterise beetroot and cucumber and place into a blender, along with the yoghurt, garlic, olive oil and white wine vinegar. Blend at high speed until the consistency is smooth and creamy. 

Now it's time for a taste test, and for seasoning, Cracked black pepper is the unsung hero in making this soup special, as well as a healthy swig of good quality nutty olive oil. 

Serve the soup chilled, and finish off with some finely chopped cilantro or chives for some freshness.