With Poland in the spotlight as joint host of Euro 2012, we offer some experiences some of its culinary delights

Ingredients

Serves six

Stalks and leaves of 6 beetroots
2 litres (4 pints) meat stock or bouillon (beef or chicken)
1 whole beetroot root
1 clove garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry marjoram
1 tsp lemon juice
6 eggs, hard-boiled
250ml (8fl oz) fresh single pouring cream

Method

For the dressing, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Wash the beetroot leaves and stalks well then pat dry with a paper towel. Chop them into small pieces. The leaves will shrink when cooked, so you will need quite a few. Add the chopped beetroot stalks and leaves to the stock, and simmer until soft, for about 15 minutes.

Grind a clove of garlic with a teaspoon of salt on a wooden board, then add to the soup with a teaspoon of dry marjoram and a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Wash, peel and score the beetroot bulb with grooves. Add to the soup to bring out a wonderful colour. Simmer for a further ten minutes.

Cut the hard-boiled eggs into halves or quarters, then season with salt and pepper.

Leaving the whole beetroot in the pot, ladle the soup into individual bowls and place a good splash of fresh cream in each. Serve hot and garnish with the hard-boiled eggs.