From the very earliest days, the Church has declared that Sunday, the day of Christ's Resurrection, is always a feast day, and therefore fasting on Sundays has always been forbidden. Since there are six Sundays in Lent, we have to subtract them from the days of fasting. Forty-six minus six is forty. Keeping within the ‘spirit’ of fasting I am not sure this means we then eat, all day, food we have forbidden ourselves during Lent but I did think it may give us a day to share a recipe …and enjoy it.
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 large onion, chopped
2cm piece fresh ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green finger chilli, finely chopped
500g beetroot, scrubbed and grated
1 small potato (about 100g) , grated
750ml vegetable stock
Salt, to taste
Heat the oil in a large pot and, once it’s good and hot, add the onion and fry, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli, then fry, stirring all the while, for three minutes. Add the beetroot and potato, stir to coat, then pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer for 30 minutes.
Leave the soup to cool a little, then blend and taste for salt. Pour into bowls and top with a spoonful of yoghurt and a sprinkling of nigella seeds. Serve hot with toast.