The beet crop is phenomenal this year.  Golden Beets, Chioggia Beets, Bull's Blood Beets, Red Ace and Merlin Beets are all fabulous.   

I love them roasted in the oven, then sliced on a plate into gold and red coins with a drizzle of orange infused olive oil.  Once, short of time, I tried Nigella Lawson's raw beet salad from "Forever Summer" and now think beets are even better raw than roasted -- this recipe is far removed from the sweet and sour 'Harvard' beets I grew up with, or the chemically sweet and vinegary school beetroot that stained plates and taste buds. 

The toasted mustard seeds and dill impart a Scandinavian flavor combination, I've also made it with flat-leaf parsley when I had no dill in the garden, and have skipped the mustard seed and chopped up large handfuls of cilantro and mint when those were at hand.  All are good.  You can also use a combination of beets and carrots, both hold their texture so this can be made in advance and refrigerated, in fact I think the flavor improves the next day.
 
RAW BEET, DILL & MUSTARD SEED SALAD from "Forever Summer" by Nigella Lawson
Big bunch fresh dill (about 6 tablespoons when chopped)
18 oz raw beets
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (orange infused if you can find it)
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
A spoonful or so of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Serves: 6.

This is extremely easy to make in a food processor, arduous done by hand.  Strip the stalks from the dill and zap it in the food processor until finely chopped.  Scrape it out into a large bowl, keeping some aside for sprinkling on top.  Fit the julienne or grater disc and then peel and half the beetroot so it fits down the funnel, you should wear rubber gloves for this or you'll spend the evening with hands like Lady Macbeth.  Turn the grated beetroot into a bowl and toss with the dill until well mixed together.  Squeeze the lemon juice over, drizzle in the olive oil and toss again. Then toss the mustard seeds for a couple of minutes in a non-stick or heavy-based frying pan, it helps if it has high sides as they'll start popping and dancing over the stovetop.  Add the mustard to the salad and toss for a final time.  Tip it out into a bowl or plate and scatter the reserved dill and chopped parsley on top for a hint of vibrant green.  
We have Australian friends who wax lyrical about their Ausie burgers with "the lot" which in Australia includes lettuce, mayo, tomato, sliced beetroot, a fried egg, bacon, and a dash of ketchup or barbecue sauce.  I haven't been tempted to try this with sliced roasted beets but could imagine adding a dollop of this raw beet salad to a burger. I found a similar salad in an old Martha Stewart book "Great Food Fast" which has a Middle Eastern flavor to it with the cumin, coriander and cinnamon combination.  It packs a punch and is delicious served with lamb kebabs or a chicken tagine.  

Beetroot and Carrot Salad from "Great Food Fast" by Martha Stewart
18 oz raw beets
3 carrots
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbl extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbl honey
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley 

Whisk together lemon juice, oil, honey, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne plus 3/4 tsp salt. Peel the beets and carrots and grate or julienne them in a food processor.  Add to the bowl along with the parsley and toss all the ingredients together.

When we lived in the UK Sunday lunch was a ritual, followed by a walk around the fields with our golden retriever.  With hectic teenage schedules I wasn't able to recreate that when we moved to the US.  

Now with no teenagers left in the house the leisurely home lunch seems permanently out of the window and we've taken to gardening and exploratory day trips that don't involve my cooking.  Sunday night is still ritually spent watching a movie in the family room with a plate on our knees.
Today I marinated chicken pieces in garlic, olive oil and rosemary so they would be ready to be thrown in the oven when we returned.  All that was left to do was cut some fresh crusty bread from the farmers market and braise broccoli raab.   I don't know why I continue to buy broccoli raab at the farmers market -- or grow it for that matter.  It never goes down particularly well.  This time I sauteed some red pepper flakes and chopped garlic in olive oil until the garlic was golden, added the broccoli briefly and then poured on some organic chicken broth and braised it for five minutes.  It was healthy but still not my favorite greens.

Another great vegetarian recipe from a friend's kitchen - I'm scrounging through old favorite's now I have a pescetarian child visiting for the summer, and conveniently using up the few remaining bags of last year's frozen crops. 

Thai Corn Fritters
Serves 8-10
 
Ingredients: 
3 cups fresh or frozen, thawed corn
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 small bunch chopped cilantro
1 finely chopped scallion
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup chopped, drained pimento (optional)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3/4 cup rice or all-purpose flour
2 eggs lightly beaten
4 tablespoons water
vegetable oil for frying
sweet chili sauce (e.g., Mae Ploy brand or Maggi Taste of Asia brand) for dipping
 
Directions:
Place corn, garlic, cilantro, scallion, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, pimento, soy sauce, flour, eggs and water in a large  bowl.  Mix well.  The mixture should be able to hold its shape without being stiff.  Add more flour if needed.
 
Cover bottom of a large skillet with oil.  Place on a burner over medium-high heat and cook until it shimmers.  Drop 1/4-cup mounds of batter into oil and round with a spoon.  Cook until a very light golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.  Drain on paper towels.
 
Serve hot with sweet chili sauce. 
 
Note:  These can be made ahead and reheated on a sheet pan at 350 degrees.  If you line the pan with a paper bag, it will help them crisp up.