Beetroot hummus and hummus soup

Crisp salads make way for warming soups with the arrival of autumn, but I still want to keep them light and fresh. This vibrantly coloured beetroot dip is perfect for a snack, starter or filling for wraps or sandwiches. Leftovers can be warmed up with some vegetable stock to make a delicious and colourful soup. Baking the beetroot both heightens and sweetens the flavours. As a shortcut to reduce the roasting time, I start them in the microwave for 5 minutes. While you’re at it, roast extras and serve with butter in place of baked potatos. Hummus is so much nicer if you peel the chickpeas, the quickest way to do this is to put the cooked chickpeas into a large bowl of water, rub the chickpeas between your hands and then swirl the water, the skins will rise to the top and you can skim them off.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 190°C / Gas 5. Discard the stalks and long thin part of the beetroot, wash and then microwave on full power for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 40 minutes until soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Roughly peel the beetroot and combine with the other ingredients in a food processor reserving some of the Apetina and chickpeas to use as garnish. Whiz until smooth, adding a little water if needed. Season to taste. Garnish the dip with the remaining Apetina and chickpeas and serve with a selection of crudités.

To make the soup with leftovers:

Place any leftover dip in a small saucepan and add half a cup or so of vegetable stock, stir to combine and heat gently. Add more stock if needed. A beautifully presented dish looks so much more appetising, so go wild with the garnish, using Apetina cubes, seeds and fresh herbs, and serve steaming hot.