Better late than never

It's shocking to me that we are quickly approaching the half-way week of our 2010 CSA season!

Over the past 11 weeks, I have eaten eight varieties of lettuce: Red Oak, Red Romaine, Green Boston, Deep Red Leaf, Green Iceberg, Red Iceberg, Green Romaine, and Mesclun. Needless to say, salads have had a lot of attention in my kitchen, and with the welcome additions of French Radishes, Sugar Snap Peas, Beets, Carrots, Squash Blossoms, Garlic Scapes, Cucumbers, Turnips, and Scallions, and Tomatoes, I can't say I've eaten the same salad twice this summer. But a girl (at least this girl) can't live on salads alone, plus I delight in the journey of making a meal: the consideration of ingredients which leads to inspiration; the improvisation and creative play that comes from preparation; the transformation that takes place with mixing, heat, and spices; and best of all, eating! Preferably accompanied by great wine and company.

A recent casual gathering of friends centered around Chilled Beet and Cucumber Soup, followed by Turnip Carrot Risotto. I was hesitant about the Soup, worrying the bright pink liquid would put off some guests, but it was a hit! The Risotto was a spin on a friend's family recipe for Parsnip Risotto, wanting of course, to use my farm-fresh seasonal ingredients. And what can I say? Spin is good.

Chilled Beet and Cucumber Soup

• 5 medium fresh beets
  
• salt
• 2 cups white stock (vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade)
• 16 ounces sour cream
  
• 1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
• 1/4 cup natural cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Champagne vinegar (any white wine vinegar will do)
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups medium-diced cucumber
  
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried dill)

Place the beets in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook uncovered until the beets are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the beets to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve and also set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the beet cooking liquid, the stock, sour cream, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and the pepper. Peel the cooled beets, using your hands to easily slip off the skins under water to avoid a pink mess. Cut the beets in small to medium dice. Add the beets, cucumber, scallions, and dill to the soup. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Season, to taste, and serve cold. For extra indulgence garnish with a dollop of sour cream and an extra sprig of fresh dill. This soup stores well for a few days in a refrigerated, air-tight container. But you probably won't have any left!