This week your basket contains: summer squash, cucumbers, eggplant, sweet peppers, carrots, onions, kale, GOLDEN BEETS, lettuce, tomatoes and basil.

This new take on an old favorite was passed along to us via Facebook by a subscriber who heartily endorses it.  Give it a try and let us know what you think.

ZUCCHINI GAZPACHO WITH BASIL CREAM

2 cucumbers, sliced

2 zucchini, sliced

1 small onion, roughly chopped

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup torn basil leaves

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Blend cucumbers, zucchini, onion, olive oil, basil leaves, and lemon juice together in a blender until smooth; add cream, salt, and pepper and pulse until smooth.  Refrigerate soup until chilled, at least 1 hour. From Allrecipies.com

Golden beets, which tend to be less staining than the normal beets, make this dish a delight.  Golden beets are also much more difficult to germinate well, but they are so good, especially in this recipe, they will always have a spot in our lineup.  To simplify, ready made Ponzu sauce is widely available (we get ours at New Seasons when we don’t want to make it).

PONZU GRILLED SALMON WITH GOLDEN BEET COUSCOUS

Couscous:

1  teaspoon  extravirgin olive oil

2  tablespoons  thinly sliced peeled shallots (about 1 large)

8  ounces  small golden beets, thinly sliced, peeled, and quartered (about 1 1/2 cups)

1  cup  uncooked Israeli couscous

2  cups  water

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1  cup  raw spinach leaves, trimmed

Sauce:

1/2  cup  fresh orange juice

2  tablespoons  brown sugar

3  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce

2  tablespoons  sake (rice wine)

1  tablespoon  fresh lime juice

1/2  teaspoon  cornstarch

1/8  teaspoon  crushed red pepper

Remaining ingredients:

4  (6-ounce) salmon fillets with skin (about 1 inch thick)

Cooking spray

Lime wedges (optional)

To prepare couscous, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and beets; sauté 5 minutes or until shallots are tender and just beginning to brown. Stir in couscous; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add water and salt; cover and simmer 8 minutes or until couscous is tender. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Toss gently until combined and spinach wilts. Keep warm.

To prepare sauce, combine orange juice and next 6 ingredients (through red pepper) in a small saucepan, stirring well with a whisk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 1 minute.

To prepare fish, brush cut sides of fillets with 1/4 cup sauce; place, skin sides up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill salmon, skin sides up, 2 minutes. Turn salmon fillets; brush with remaining 1/4 cup sauce. Grill 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or desired degree of doneness. Serve with couscous and lime wedges, if desired. Yields 4 servings.  Adapted from Kathryn Conrad, Cooking Light, JUNE 2005

CURRIED CARROTS AND LENTILS

1/2 c. dried lentils (red or brown)

1 1/2 c. water

3 carrots, cut into pieces

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/4 c. raisins

2 T butter

1 t salt

3/4 t. curry powder