Delivery 2/22/23
ITEMS
Microgreens
Red Beets
White Onion
Kombucha
Hummus
Baguette / GF Bread
PRODUCERS
Montana Roots - Livingston
Amaltheia Organic Produce - Belgrade
Mill Crick Farm - Hamilton
Back to the Mother - Missoula
Z's Kitchen - Bozeman
On the Rise Bread Co. - Bozeman / Sister's Gluten Free Bakery - Belgrade
Beet & Onion Salad
I can imagine that the prospect of this dish isn't making you go, "wow, yum!" right now, but it's a testament to what good, simple ingredients can accomplish together. Though perfectly acceptable as a dinnertime side dish, I think this salad could also be lovely on a sandwich of baguette or your favorite bread, a generous spread of hummus, and a crunchy layer of microgreens....perhaps a slice of cheese as well. Or, stuffed in a pita with some hot, crisp falafel, hummus, and feta cheese. Adapted from Food & Wine, who got it from Alvaro Palacios. Serves 6-8 as a side.
2 lbs medium beets, tops and tails removed, and either peeled or scrubbed
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 small white onion, halved and peeled, then thinly sliced lengthwise
Ice water
1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs red wine vinegar - you could make do with cider vinegar, or perhaps champagne vinegar
In a saucepan, cover the beets with water and bring to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt and simmer over moderate heat until tender, ~20 min. Drain well and let cool, then slice into wedges or coins.
Meanwhile, cover the onion slices with ice water in a bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt and let stand until crisp, ~20 min. This step will take some of the bite out of the raw onion, so don't skip it. Drain well; pat dry.
Toss the beets and onion together with the olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to your tastes, toss again. Serve.
Beautiful Soup
Here's a recipe that will put a dent in your root vegetable supply, and help warm you up during these cold days. It's reminiscent of borscht, but doesn't lean quite so heavily on the beets, or the beef. Adapted from Celia Barbour, NYTimes Cooking. Serves 6.
6 Tbs butter, or 3 Tbs butter + 3 Tbs olive oil
2 medium or large onions, chopped into 1/2-in pieces
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 small beets (or 1 large), peeled and cut into 1/2-in dice
4-5 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-in dice
4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-in pieces *see notes below
1/2 a medium celeriac, peeled and cut into 1/2-in dice
3/4 C fresh dill, chopped
2 quarts beef, chicken, or vegetable broth
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice
Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 an orange - sub lemon in a pinch
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sour cream, for garnish
Baguette, or other bread, for serving (optional)
In a Dutch oven, or another deep, wide pan, add butter or butter-oil mixture over low heat. When butter has melted, add onion and garlic; sauté until soft but not browned.
Increase heat to medium-high and add beets, carrots, celery, celery root, and half the dill. Sauté, adjusting heat as needed, until vegetables have released their liquid, dried and start to turn golden but not brown, ~20 min.
Add stock and tomatoes with their juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until vegetables are soft, another 45 min or so. Add orange zest and juice, and remaining dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, ladle into bowls and top each with a dollop of sour cream. Serve with hunks of bread.
Notes: If you don't have (and don't want to get) both celery and celeriac, you can substitute another root vegetable, like parsnip or potato, for one or the other.
Additional Recipe Suggestions
I love pickled beets for sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Here's a recipe.
If hummus as a dip doesn't do it for you, explore these Hummus Toast ideas
Salad with Marinated Beets & Goat Cheese (+ your microgreens!)
If you want to make falafel from scratch for your hummus and beet & onion salad, here's one version.
For those of you who don't enjoy Kombucha by itself, try cutting it with juice or sparkling water...here are some actual cocktail (or mocktail) recipes or perhaps it could be the sweet + acidic elements in a marinade or a reduction...