Fresh

Let’s talk about what’s in season now and what we should probably be savoring.  Well, if you haven’t already consumed your seasonal strawberries, now is the time to do so, only a few moments left for those.  Here’s a fast recipe for those sweet red things:

Sugared Strawberries, a recipe composed in Elizabeth David fashion.  Rinse, hull, and slice 2 quarts of strawberries.  Toss them with 1/2 cup sugar (shouldn’t need much more than that, especially when at the end of the season they are small and very sweet) and let them relax at room temperature for a bit until juicy.  Please, serve with some cream (ice, whipped, or chantilly). 

I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the first blueberries to appear.  I just phoned Natura Farms in Forest Lake, where I certainly intend on picking a few good buckets of my own berries this week.  They told me that blueberries may appear Monday, but to call ahead first to confirm.  They also suggested I come to pick raspberries, currants, and the remains of the strawberries which they will allow anyone to take for free (to clear out the fields).  Natura Farms functions as an organic farm (no sprays of any sort and use sustainable farming practices) but like many small farms are not certified organic.  Just to puff them up a bit I want to advertise that they are certified by Food Alliance Midwest.  Anyhow, with all that said, I look forward to getting my paws blue and perhaps red in the next week or two.  I’ll let you know what I’ll be making with all of those berries.

It is not just berry season.  Look for sweet stone-fruits (plums, pluots, nectarines, and the like), broccoli, cauliflower, peas (snap and snow), radishes, and soon our beloved sweet corn.  As well, I just pulled some healthy looking chioggia beets from my own modest garden and I suppose it is time to indulge in those.  Here is a striking and delicious sounding recipe for golden beets I just found today.  It is from Ready When You Are by Martha Rose Shulman. 

Beet Green Gratin with Golden Beet Crust

2 bunches (6-8) golden beets

2 lbs golden beet greens (from about 4 large bunches; note: you may want to ask at the farmers market if they have any extra beet greens hanging about), stemmed and washed

salt

4 eggs, beaten

freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup milk

1 lg. garlic clove, minced or pressed

2 oz. grated Gruyere cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 cup)

1 tbs. olive oil, plus more for oiling the gratin dish

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.  Cut the greens off of the beets, leaving about 1/2 in. of the stems attached.  Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or ovenproof casserole.  Add about 1/4 in. water to the pot.  Cover tightly with a lid or foil, and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the beets are tender.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.  If not using right away, refrigerate in a covered bowl. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens.  Add a tablespoon of salt to the water, and blanch the greens for a minute or two (you will probably need to do this in two batches).  Transfer the greens to a bowl of cold water, then drain and squeeze out the water.  Chop coarsely.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Oil a 2-quart gratin dish generously with olive oil.  Slip the skins off the beets, and slice very thin across the equator.  Line the bottom and sides of the gratin dish with sliced beets.  Beat together the eggs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, the milk, garlic, and all but 2 tablespoons of the cheeses.  Stir in the greens and turn into the gratin dish.  Cover the top of the gratin with the remaining beet slices, overlapping them slightly.  Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese over the beets, and drizzle on the olive oil.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until set and lightly browned on the top.  Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm.  

Serves 4