METRO — The right appetizer can lay the foundation for a delicious meal. Appetizers run the gamut from homemade bread to small samplings of seafood. Soup is a popular and versatile appetizer that won’t fill anyone up before the main course is served.

Home cooks can choose from any number of soups to serve as the first course at their next dinner party or family meal. The unique flavor profile of this recipe for “Beetroot Soup With Mixed Seeds” from Lines+Angles makes it an opening course.

Beetroot Soup With

Mixed Seeds

Serves 4

For the soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion

1 finely chopped garlic clove

3 chopped celery stalks

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

5 cups vegetable stock; plus extra as needed

1 1/4 pound pickled beetroot, in juice, cooked, cubed with juice reserved

2 tablespoons yogurt, coconut or soy milk

Salt

Freshly ground black peppercorns

To serve:

4 tablespoons yogurt, coconut or soy milk

2 tablespoons chopped pistachio nuts, shelled

2 tablespoons black chia seeds

2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

2 tablespoons golden linseeds, or linseeds

1 handful mint leaves

1. For the soup: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan set over a medium heat until hot.

2. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and a generous pinch of salt, cooking for 6 to 7 minutes until softened.

3. Stir in the dried herbs and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer before stirring in the beetroot.

4. Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes, until the beetroot is very tender to the tip of a knife.

5. Puree with an immersion blender, adding in some of the reserved beetroot juice to thin out the consistency to your liking; you can also thin it out with more stock or some water.

6. Return the soup to a simmer and stir in the yogurt and some salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm over a very low heat, making sure the soup does not boil.

7. To serve: When ready to serve, ladle into warm bowls and top with some yogurt.

8. Garnish with a scattering of chopped pistachios, mixed seeds and some mint leaves before serving.