Labor Day
For most people Labor Day means the end of summer, back to school, the last chance for barbecue or a trip to the beach. It has its roots in the Labor Movement and celebrates the workers of the industrial revolution. On the farm, it doesn't really mean anything. It falls right in the middle of our busiest season, making it impossible to take a day off. Not that we mind, it's what we've signed up for and those tomatoes don't pick themselves. We are lucky to have a job that is satisfying and necessary. It's a time to be grateful for the kind of farming we do and that as laborers on our farm (compared to many other farm workers around the world) we are compensated well, appreciated, and feel good about the work we do. It's not always easy and picking tomatoes isn't always fun, but to know that our labor feeds us and our communities has value all its own. Happy Labor Day.
Scenes from the farm: weeding in the fall brassicas, Kat and an amazing trombocino, mini red peppers, Sarah and Kat trying not-spicy habanero peppers and loving them, and heirloom tomato goodness.
The share:
head lettuce
arugula
specialty greens
spinach
beets
carrots
hakurei turnips
cucumbers
summer squash
potatoes
shishito pepppers
sweet peppers
padron peppers
hot peppers
eggplant
fairytale eggplant
cherry tomatoes
heirloom tomatoes
paste tomatoes
onions
potatoes
parsley
Beet-and-Tomato Soup with Cumin
Benjamin Leroux's terrific soup is an unexpected mix of beets, tomatoes and tomato paste; it has the flavor of a light borscht.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound medium beets
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
- 1 quart vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Get Ingredients
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- In a large saucepan, cover the beets with water. Bring to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until tender, about 1 hour; if necessary, add more water to keep the beets covered. Drain the beets and let cool slightly, then peel and coarsely chop.
- Wipe out the saucepan and heat the olive oil in it. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chopped beets, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the 1 teaspoon of cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the vegetable stock and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Puree the soup in batches in a food processor. Rewarm the soup in the saucepan and season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with dollops of crème fraîche. Sprinkle with a little cumin and the parsley and serve.