Deskmates 2: Beet Around

I love beets. When they’re roasted for a few hours, they’re so sweet and tender, and the way the deep red flesh moves (and looks) is almost muscular. I’m intrigued by this root that so closely resembles a beating heart.

I also love raw beets. They’re especially good thinly sliced and paired with cucumbers in a light rice wine vinegar and sesame oil dressing. And the striped chioggia beets are prettiest raw. Their colors blend together once cooked, and even if they’ve just been sitting in the salad dressing too long.

The slight astringency of these raw chioggias pairs well with cooked quinoa, more cucumber, chopped parsley and a strawberry vinaigrette. This salad made a brief appearance at a work lunch potluck – it was completely gone by the time I headed back for seconds.

Though I can’t say enough about their texture, taste, and versatility, I think I love beets best for their longevity. I roasted a bunch of beets about a month ago, ate a few, and forgot the rest. Yesterday I discovered them waiting patiently in the back of the fridge without even a hint of mold or decay, and promptly added one to my lunch. There’s one left from that batch, and I’m sure it will still be fine when I get around to eating it in a few days. Then I’ll need to re-stock.

Corn and Basil Chowder

This is a variation on a corn, basil, and tomato salad that I made every week in August last year. The tomatoes are not quite worth their $4.50 a pound at the greenmarket, so my sweet corn and basil had to cosy up to some pimentòn de la vera instead. The barest hint of smoke and spice adds a bacon-esque richness to what is otherwise a very lean soup, and a squeeze of lime brightens the flavors. Making a stock from the cobs and basil stems gives the soup a little more depth. I made sure to keep boiling time to a minimum, since the entire point of summer cooking is to stay away from the stove whenever possible. We all know that time is better spent at the beach.

Corn and Basil Chowder

4 ears of sweet corn

4 c water

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbs butter

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp Spanish smoked paprika (I used agridulce, but hot or sweet would also work)

1c basil leaves, lightly packed (reserve the stems)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 lime

Using a sharp knife, slice the kernels of corn from the cob. Reserve corn, and place the cobs and basil stems in a large pot. Cover with the water, bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.

Chiffonade the basil leaves, set aside. Mince the garlic.

In a small skillet, heat the butter on medium-high until it foams. Stir in the garlic and cook 2 minutes or until fragrant.  Remove from heat. Stir in paprika and salt.

Turn off the simmering pot of cobs. Discard the basil stems. Lift the cobs out of the water with tongs and shake excess water into the pot. Transfer to a cutting board and hold with the tongs in one hand while you scrape the last bits of corn off with the back of your knife. Discard cobs, add corn scrapings to the pot.

Add garlic mixture, corn kernels, and basil to the pot of corn stock. Squeeze the lime half over the pot and add a few grinds of black pepper. Stir everything up and taste it. Add more salt or pepper if you like.

Serve warm, room-temperature, or cold. The flavors develop after a day or two in the refrigerator, and the soup keeps up to a week. Makes an excellent breakfast on days you don’t want to cook.