Ingredients:

Half a red onion and half a medium-sized white onion
Small fennel bulb (or half a large one)

1 small carrot

3 garlic cloves

handful of chopped basil and handful of chopped coriander (cilantro) leaf
2 tablespoons of olive oil
about 750 ml water
salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Chop the onion, garlic, fennel and carrot very finely.
Wash and peel the beetroots and potato and cut into bite-sized chunks.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Fry the chopped onion, carrot and fennel for a couple of minutes.
Add the garlic, cover with a tight fitting lid and turn down the heat. Sweat these ingredients for a few minutes until they soften.
Add the beetroot and potato, stir it around for a few minutes and then add the water, salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil, then turn it down to a gentle simmer.

Cover and simmer very gently for about 40 minutes, or until you can pierce the beetroot pieces easily with a fork.

Add the fresh herbs for about 5 more minutes.

Check the taste, and add more salt and pepper if it needs it.

Remove from the heat and use a wand blender to liquidise the soup.

(I like to leave a few chunky bits for variety. If it seems too thick, add a little more water.)

Chop about 50 grams of haloumi cheese very finely and sprinkle over the soup before serving.