Here’s a quick barely-a-recipe recipe. So barely a recipe I’m not going to post one (though it’s described below).

My plate has been full lately– I just started teaching K to 5th graders cooking. (I’ll try to keep up with posting my recipes we make here and maybe even post pics of the the students’ creations.)

Until then, D and I are trying to figure out our new routine and one of those routines is keeping salads around for a quick throw together lunch or dinner. The red is a bulked up raw beet salad from the other week. Bulked up with shaved cucumber. The herring is even more simple. It’s over there in the left side of the shot. Really, no recipe needed. It’s a jar of drained pickled herring, a dollop of sour cream, and a hefty dose of curry sprinkled over top. No cooking required.

It’s a simple pull together and you can make other flavors too– mix in a dollop of spicy mustard and fresh dill to the drained herring. A little hot pepper. Some horseradish and tomato paste. Or keep it original. Eat it with a good salad, a hearty tear of bread and a cool beer and dinner is ready in seconds.

With this meal D proclaimed he was feeling quite Latvian. He can dream.

The new Edible Queens has finally hit the stands. I’m so excited my borough has its very own Edible Community! Pick up your copy around the NYC area. I was also recently told that Edible Queens has “the best online presence of all NYC Edible communities hands down.” Awesome! I’m proud to contribute to that presence.

Have a great weekend and if you’re in NYC, don’t forget to pick up your free hard copy of the magazine this weekend.

I love beets. I love them roasted and warm in the winter sprinkled with salt. Tossed with some goat cheese over arugula. With citrus. Pickled with falafel. In pasta. Fermented. With chocolate. In borscht– pretty much any way you can throw them at me, I will eat.

D is not (always) a fan. And I have to admit I sometimes tire of figuring out different methods (often time consuming) that D will enjoy beets with me. (Favorites have been pickled and in pasta.) I also will admit that I’m not always a fan of the extended cooking time beets require, especially in the summer months.

I do know D likes his coleslaw. And I know that beets are delicious with some acid. So perhaps if beets were sliced thin enough, tossed with some sweet carrots and acid, D will enjoy a beet ’slaw? Maybe? A sort of quick pickle.

I tried it out when D’s sister, another beet loather, was in town. I figured two beet loathers and one new beet salad might a good experiment make. (We also received beets in our CSA share.)

The verdict? Fair success. While I’m sure a generous dollop of mayonnaise added to the beets would have secured ultimate success, this salad was refreshing, crisp, ’slaw-like, and required no cooking of beets (the true desire). Better still, with food processor on shred this salad was a snap to assemble.

Raw Beet Salad
Active Time= 15 minutes. Cook Time= 0 minutes.
4-5 medium-sized beets
3-4 medium-sized carrots
2 scallions, chopped
1 bunch mint, chopped
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons raw honey
2 tablespoons orange or lemon juice
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoons dijon mustard
salt to taste

Peel beets and carrots and slice in a food processor with shredding attachment. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with scallions and mint. Place apple cider vinegar, orange juice, mustard, honey and celery seed in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Toss ingredients to coat, season to taste with salt.

NOTE: 1/2 cup mayonnaise or sour cream can be added to this dish if you prefer cream-based coleslaws.