Beet Soup; Wilted Spinach with Smoked Salmon and Rasberries

Once again, Strand didn't fail to deliver. I remember first relying on this Greenwich Village used book superstore when taking a class at Columbia in the mid-1990s and seeking out hard to find academic texts on the American immigrant experience written in the 1970s. Thank you Oscar Handlin. To this day, Strand remains, hands down, the best used bookstore in the country. (Though Powell's in Portland, Oregon does come pretty darn close)

Today, Strand is my go to store for cookbooks. My recent find... a hardbound copy of Kitchen of Light: New Scandinavian Cooking with Andres Viestad. I'd been in search of the book since my chance discovery of the PBS series New Scandinavian Cooking a few months prior. Viestad is one of the show's hosts.

I have to admit, I never thought that I would appreciate Scandinavian food. But with his culinary talents and obvious passion for his native country of Norway, the affable Herr Viestad has totally shattered my prejudices. His approach to the food culture involves traditional Scandinavian ingredients prepared, as I see it, with a definite Mediterranean twist. I guess that explains the "New" part. That said, the TV show and companion book are fantastic.

Now all I need is a bottle of aquavit. Even better, Viestad tells you how to make your own.

Beet Soup

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 3 cups homemade chicken stock (Viestad calls for goose or duck stock - I have yet to venture down this road)
• 1 tsp chili powder (I avoid the cheap McCormick stuff from the grocery; go to Penzseys and get a nice one. They are also an online purveyor)
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt 

Saute onions and garlic in a medium-sized pot over medium heat until softened and light brown. Add beets, bay leaf, carrots and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes until beets are soft. Transfer to a blender and puree in batches; or use an immersion blender to puree in the pot. Season with chili powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Wilted Spinach with Smoked Salmon and Rasperries

• 1/2 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
• 16 raspberries
• 2 tbsp raspberry vinegar or white wine vinegar (I used pomegranate vinegar)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 pound spinach leaves
• 8-12 thin slices smoked salmon
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper

Prepare the dressing by combining creme fraiche, half of the raspberries, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and whisk together. Place spinach on overproof plates, sprinkle with oil, and place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until starting to wilt. Place salmon on top of spinach and drizzle with stripes of the dressing. Garnish with remaining raspberries and whole peppercorns. Note: I substituted a hot smoked salmon "candy" that I found in the seafood department at Whole Foods. But the more traditional gravlaks salmon is more widely available and even more appropriate for this recipe.