Sunflowers

By Pam Hadder


I don't know that you have ever had the opportunity to drive on country roads past fields of sunflowers on a hot August afternoon - it's a familiar and dear experience for me, having grown up amid agricultural abundance.

There really is nothing quite like sunflowers: tall and sturdy, their cheery faces seek and follow the sun's path from east to west across the sky each day.  It's simply wonderful to witness acres of the statuesque, bright blooms all moving in unison; their brilliant goldenrod yellow contrasting remarkably with their deep green foliage and the bright blue of the summer sky!

I've heard that the sunflower is a native North American plant, cultivated for many hundreds of years for its nutritious seeds.  Where I live - sunflower seeds are grown for human consumption, for crop seed, and for animal feed. I've also heard that there are 365 seeds in the centre of each sunflower and 52 petals on each head- mirroring the number of days and weeks in a calendar year - but I have never counted them!  I wonder if it's folklore or fact? It seems a bit sad that I have never made time to really find out more about them! Like many summer icons, I guess that I tend to take them for granted.


As we enter the last month of the short Canadian prairie summer, I am conscious of trying to appreciate each and every warm and sunny hour, and the beauty and richness of nature.  I often joke with friends and acquaintances about my need to "charge my solar cells" - so I guess I can relate to the sunflower: hopeful face raised skyward, drinking in all of the vital golden energy it can during daylight hours.


It comes as no surprise that in the early fall, when the sunflower ripe heads darken and droop, I feel a slight sense of sadness. I've driven past  pre-harvest fields many, many times - of course I know summer can't last forever, but my heart always sinks a little when I see those happy beacons transformed into sombre sentinels, heads bowed in tired acceptance; heavy with their burden of shiny black seeds. 

Something to think about when I enjoy a few sunflower seeds for a snack, or on a salad, or as nut butter - all that goodness and energy, captured from one whole summer goes into their creation: thankful for the little things that make our days a little brighter :)

Beet it ;)

I had the very good fortune to receive a bundle of wonderful summer veg today from Stonelane Orchard - they sell their pesticide-free produce at local market gardens; including the St. Norbert Market.

Among the lush kale, chard, tomatoes, peas and so on, was a spectacular, large bunch of red beets with perfect leaves. I said to Stonelane co-owner, Rick, "OMG, these are the most beautiful beets I have ever seen!" and he remarked, simply "Our beets always look like this." Too cute - nice to know that vegetable heaven can be enjoyed here on Earth - at least through the short summer growing season! Needless to say, I was inspired and I couldn't wait to get home and start cooking. I surfed the net for a short while, wondering if I could find something new and exciting, but my tastebuds were yearning for some traditional Russian favourites: borscht and beet leaf rolls (holuptsi)

As things got underway in the kitchen, my daughters began swarming - wondering when the soup would be ready. Nice to be popular- if only for sustainance LOL.

I make my borscht using chicken or vegetable broth, preferring this to the pork-based version my German mother makes (sorry, Mom - just not a pork fan...). Here are the recipes for Beet Rolls and Borcht - I hope you will try the recipes and enjoy some local beets in season.

Pam's Russian Borcht

INGREDIENTS:
Large bunch beets with greens, 6-8 medium-size beets
1 medium onion, chopped finely
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups chopped kale or cabbage
1.5 tsp. salt
Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
3 tsp. sour salt, or to taste
8 bay leaves, or to taste
2 cups diced carrot
1 large tomato, diced
2 cups diced new potatoes
1 can baked beans in tomato sauce
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

METHOD:
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a soup pot, stirring in the onions. Cook onions until clear, but don't brown. Stir in salt, pepper, tomatoes, carrot and potatoes, along with 1/3 of the broth. Cook 15 - 20 minutes. Meanwhile grate the beets and chop the leaves and stems finely - add these to the soup, along with the remaining broth, beans, dill and sour salt. Simmer for 45 minutes and serve hot with a dollop of sour cream or natural yogurt.

Beet Leaf Rolls

INGREDIENTS:
36 large beet leaves, washed and trimmed
1 tsp. salt
Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup fresh dill, minced
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1/3 cup butter (approximate), divided use
1/2 cup 18% cream

Melt 3 Tbsp. of butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add in salt, rice and 2 cups of water - cook rice, covered for 40-45 minutes. Meanwhile, saute the onion in another 3Tbsp. of the butter. Stir softened onion into the cooked rice along with pepper and dill, to form the beet roll filling. Rice the leaves and cut off any tough ribs. Place leaves in a colander and blanche by pouring 1.5 litres of boiling water over them - leaves should be softened but not mushy. Spoon 2-3 teaspoons of filling on each leaf and roll tightly, pushing in each end with fingertips to seal. Butter a small baking dish with 2 tsp. of the butter. Place rolls with seam down in the casserole dish. Pour cream over all. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake for 30 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Serve warm with or without sour cream or natural yogurt.

NOTE: if the leaves are too small or tattered, or if you are pressed for time, try making a lasagne-style casserole, beginning with a layer of the softened beet leaves and then a thin layer of filling; repeat. End with a leaf layer and pour cream over all. Bake for same amount of time.