A visit at Union Square Greenmarket, NYC

A recipe – Red Beets Soup

I remember one time when I was a kid, two orthodox Jews knocked on our home door and asked for a donation for their Yeshiva. It was quite common those days in Israel. When my mother opened the door and these guys started talking with her. She immediately said, without even thinking twice, “I am sorry but my mother is not at home” and closed the door. My mother was at her 40s, and though I still think she looks wonderful, even then in the late 80's she didn’t look like a girl…

Oddly enough, I found myself using the same tactic. Once in a while, someone knocks on my door and starts lecture me about the gas bills, the electricity bills, X bills or Y refund… 

I always have the same answer: “Sorry, I am subletting”. Even if it is not relevant, they usually don’t know what to do with that and just leave.

 

 

Ingredients

2 potatoes - peeled and cubed

3 – 4 medium red beets

1 onion - peeled and cubed

2 cloves garlic - sliced

5 cups of water

1 tablespoon cumin

Salt & pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1.     Put the beets in a pot and cover with water. Boil and cook for about 15 minutes just until you can peel the beet. (The easier way to peel the beets is simply hold them under running water and gently peel them with your fingers. The shell will remove smoothly)

2.     Heat the oil in a large pot; sauté the onion and the garlic until the onion is soft and translucent, then add the potatoes and fry while stirring. 

3.     Cut the beets to cubes and add to the pot. Stir all together for 2 minutes.

4.     Add the water (5 cups) and the cumin, salt and pepper, stir and bring to boil, cover and lower the heat. Cook for 40 minutes.

5.     Turn the heat off.

6.     If you have a hand blender – blend all together inside the pot until they reach a desired consistency. Turn the heat again and bring to boil.

If you have a blender – pour the soup into the blender container and blend for 2 minutes until desired consistency. Pour the soup back into the pot and bring to boil.

A recipe – Beet salad

I haven’t eaten clementines for about 20 years. If you ask me why I really won’t have a good answer. I don’t like the smell, I don’t like the feeling on your hands after you eat them… but I don’t really even remember what they taste like. Maybe I would like them if I tried them, but I don’t think I will.

Beets are the same. I have no idea why I’ve disliked them all my life. I’ve never eaten them. I think in my mind I relate them to food old people eat. My grandparents used to eat Borsht, which is a soup made of beets. I still imagine it doesn’t taste good, but the color is amazing.

When I traveled to Morocco I had no choice, as they served beet salad at every meal. And since I traveled during Ramadan, I ate everything I found!

And I liked them! A lot!

Ingredients

2 red beetroots 

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 – 3 tablespoon olive oil

2 – 3 tablespoon vinegar

Juice from ½ of lemon

Bunch of fresh parsley chopped (or coriander, or half and half)

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt & pepper

Directions

1.     Rinse the beets. Place in a pot, cover with water and boil until tender.

2.     Drain the beets, and slide the skins off. Allow the beets to cool, and then cut the beets as French fries.

3.     Mix the beets in a bowl with the remaining ingredients, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

4.     Prior to serving, taste the salad and adjust the seasoning if desired.