Mmmm beets

I know, most people don't say mmmmm when they think of beets.

But they should. Because they are a gorgeous color and a nutritional powerhouse (anti-tumor, good for eyes, high in fiber, etc.)

Plus, they don't really taste of anything but the earth, so they are great foils for other flavors.

Here I tossed them with lemon juice, mint and cilantro to make a sprightly side salad.

I steamed the beets instead of roasting them. Partially because I roasted beets when I was staying at my mum's house in July and she is still trying to clean the pan. Steaming is much less messy. Also, it's just too darned hot to turn on the toaster oven. But feel free to roast (recipe here) and then use the cooked beets in the dressing.

Beet Salad with Lemon and Herbs
1 lb beets
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp diced red onion
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
3 tbsp olive oil

Trim the greens from the beets and use them in wilted greens. (The raw greens will last a couple of days in the fridge if you are not ready to cook them.)

Scrub the roots, and steam them until tender, 20-40 minutes depending on the size and age of the beets. Pierce a beet with a slender knife - you want it to be tender but not too soft.

Remove the beets from the steamer. When they are cool enough to handle, peel off their skins and cut off the thick stem end and the root end.

Cut the beets in bite-sized pieces.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn the beets into the dressing, then taste a beet to check for seasoning.

Good at room temperature or chilled.

Serves 3-4.

Summer fruit

We have been loving our morning fruit.

Organic melons, peaches, plums and grapes.

Is there anything more beautiful to start the day with?

Labor Day Barbecue

We had an excellent Labor Day barbecue.

Larry grilled me a portobello (brushed with a combination of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and tamari), complete with grilled red onion to gild the lily. (He said his hamburger was good too.)

Plus he grilled corn.

We have done this in the past, where we grilled the corn in the husk. It makes sweet corn, almost steamed in its own greens. (You can read about it here.)

But last weekend, we took it to another level.

I pulled back the husks, cut off the caterpillar-eaten parts, and ripped out the silk. Then I pushed the husks back up over the kernels. I soaked them in water for 10 minutes, and then gave them to Larry to cook over a hot fire (he could put his hand 5 inches above the grill for 1-2 seconds), turning occasionally, for 10 minutes. He then removed the husks (silicon gloves helped) and put them back on the grill and cooked them, turning as needed, until they were browned and tender, about 5 minutes more.

Brushed with butter, seasoned with salt and pepper, these were great end-of-season corn. Flavorful, smoky, yum.

Cookbook bonanza

Last Sunday was a bonus at the Hollywood Farmers Market - cheap cookbook day.

I never know when this fundraising event for the Los Angeles Public Library is going to happen. I turn the corner and there are boxes of cookbooks - modern, old, pamphlets, you name it - going for the ridiculous price of $3 or less.

This is what I came home with for $18.50:

Mediterranean Cookery by Claudia Roden

China Moon Cookbook by Barbara Troop

Better Homes and Gardens Cooking with Whole Grains

The Harrods Book of Entertaining by Lady Macdonald of Macdonald (how could I resist?)

My New Mediterranean Cookbook by Jeannette Seaver

Fresh from the Market: Seasonal Cooking with Laurent Tourondel and Charlotte March

Crave - The Taste of Five Senses by Ludo Lefebvre