Sculpin

Any day in which I get to use the term “mangle-wurzel” in conversation is a pretty good day in my book. Even better, it made sense.

Why was I talking about mangle-wurzels? It’s unholy hot out there for early June, which means it’s about time for solar beet salad. It’s a sign of summer around here. I roast the beets for several hours in the solar oven at about 300F, then slip their skins off, chop or slice them, and chill them. Sometimes I dress them with a little vinegar the way Delores taught me, or I pair them with greens, but sometimes it’s just me, a fork, and a jar of cold beets, and that’s fine too. It’s all kind of amazing considering how many times I was threatened into eating my beets as a kid, but those were canned beets that’d generally been left in an open can for a few days. Slow-roasted beets are a whole ‘nother story.

A lot of people like baby beets, but I actually prefer that edge of bitterness that the more mature beets can have. Knowing this, Josh brought home the biggest beets he could find. They’re almost alarming in their oversizedness. If you want a five-pound beet, this is your time to hit up Whole Foods.

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