Family legend has it that my first bite of real food was a beet. I was about 6 months old at the time, and I’ve been in love with beets ever since.

You can imagine my delight then to find fresh beet salads on two menus in town on two consecutive nights. I had to have both. And I’m glad I did.

The first was at Il Sogno at the Pearl Brewery, Andrew Weissman’s attempt to bring Italian food to a new level in San Antonio. He certainly succeeds in my book with his array of antipasti dishes, whether it’s a seafood salad with calamari, clams and shrimp or a tapenade made with olives and garlic. One of my favorites has been the roasted beet salad, in which chunks of the bright red vegetable are tossed with goat cheese and toasted pistachios, creamy and crunchy elements that add rich flavors as well as texture.

The end result had our forks reaching for more and more until the plate was empty all too quickly.

When I was growing up, Mom never roasted beets in the oven. Her preferred method of cooking them was to boil the beets shortly after she picked them from our backyard garden. Once they were tender enough to eat and peeled, you simply topped them with plenty of butter and salt. Nobody ever cared about the almost purple red juice that painted the rest of the food on the plate. Those beets upstaged the beef, the bread, the salad and anything else Mom might have served.

At the new Godai Sushi & Bistro, 4553 N. Loop 1604 W., the roasted beets are presented without butter but with duck fat in the dressing. And I guess I’ll just have to accept that fat substitution. It will be hard for me; maybe I should attempt to drown tradition in three or four helpings.

The salad features both red and gold beets, roasted to achieve perfect color, and arrives tossed with bit of goat cheese. That may sound familiar, but this is point where any similarity between this version and Weissman’s at Il Sogno ends.

Owner William “Goro” Pitchford and executive chef Chris Kidd add nuts, but in this case they are salty Marcona almonds and they are accompanied by golden raisins and caramelized onions. A honey-duck fat dressing finishes off the plate in manner that fills your mouth with what can best be described as an umami savoriness. (Umami is known as the fifth taste, and it usually signifies the richness certain dishes have that fills the entire mouth, a depth of flavor caused by glutamate, a naturally occurring substance in many foods. For more on umami, click here. Godai Sushi Bistro has an Umami section on its menu.)

All of the elements work like an orchestra performing under a master conductor. Yet the beets remain the star of the plate, their somewhat sweet flavor commanding your attention.

I couldn’t stop there, though. For my main course, I ordered the Buddha Cassoulet, a medley of roasted fresh vegetables tossed with edamame instead of the usual white beans. There were plenty of beets in this dish, too, making my taste buds extremely happy.

Another beet salad with checking out is the version often offered at Dough Pizzzeria Napoletana, 6989 Blanco Road. No duck fat here, just bacon. Just perfection in its way as the others are in theirs.

So, if you’re a beet fanatic in need of a fix, check out any of these salads. Just leave me a small taste.

The tomatoes at the farmers markets have been loaded with flavor this year. Treat yourself to this simple dish that is easy and will help keep you cool on these hot days. For best results, “the herbs and tomatoes must be of high quality, preferably organic and very fresh,” says Keith Snow, author of “The Harvest Eating Cookbook.”

Tomatoes with a Mignonette Sauce

1 to 3 ripe tomatoes (beefsteak, Better Boy or heirloom variety), sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 shallot, finely minced
1/2 cup good quality red wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon or basil
Pinch of kosher salt
A few twists of freshly ground black or white pepper

Combine the tomatoes, shallots, vinegar, tarragon, salt and pepper in a non-reactive bowl. Marinate for 30 minutes.

Arrange the tomatoes on a serving platter.

Spoon the leftover marinade over the tomatoes.

Chef’s note: The addition of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is nice if you’re in the mood for the extra flavor boost.

Makes 1-3 servings, depending on how many tomatoes you use.

From “The Harvest Eating Cookbook” by Keith Snow

Mangoes are in season now, and their lush, voluptuous flavor and texture make them appealing to all ages.

But many don’t know how to pick a ripe mango or know when the fruit is ready to eat. It’s easy: Smell the stem end. If you detect a fruity aroma, then the mango is ready. If you want to hasten ripening, place it in a paper bag overnight.

There are numerous varieties of mangoes on the market in various sizes and colors. Experiment with a variety to discover the range of flavors available.

Cutting the mango is easy. You just peel it (the peel is inedible). You can do this several ways, one is to cut the peel away from the flesh. Another is to cut close to the stone, so you can invert the peel and cut the flesh away from it; you can do this in a crisscross method if you want cubes for a salsa or salad.

Oxo has a mango splitter that’s really easy to use. You place on top of the mango and press down. In seconds, the flesh is removed from the pit and you’re ready to eat. Click here for more information.

For a relaxed bit of summertime reading, check out Ann Vanderhoof’s “An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude.” The book comes with recipes for mangoes, rum and more.

The following is a quick and delicious way to add variety to your smoothie schedule. It’s a variation on an Indian favorite that uses coconut milk.

Mango Lassi

2 cups organic coconut milk
1 ripe mango, cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons coconut cream concentrate (optional)
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Combine the coconut milk, mango, coconut cream concentrate, if using, and yogurt in a blender.

Process until smooth.

Pour into a glass and enjoy. This is best enjoyed cold.

Makes 2 (8-ounce) servings.

Source: “The Harvest Eating Cookbook” by Keith Snow

“Apricots, cherries and almonds are all members of the same botanical family, prunus, which accounts for the natural way their flavors support and enhance each other,” Cindy Mushet writes in “The Art and Soul of Baking.” “This is a double dose of almond here to accent the fruit filling within. The cakelike topping bursts with the rich presence of almond paste, while almond liqueur gives a hint of flavor when tossed with the sliced fruit.”

Apricot-Cherry Almond Cobbler

Filling:
1 pound firm-ripe tart apricots, halved, pitted and each half cut into 4 or 5 slices
1 pound sweet, firm-ripe cherries, pitted
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon amaretto (almond liqueur)

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 ounces almond paste, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
Vanilla or dulce de leche ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Position an oven rack in the center.

For the filling: In a large bowl, toss together the apricot slices, cherries, sugar and amaretto until all the fruit is coated evenly. Use the spatula to scrape into a 9-inch ceramic pie pan or other wide 6-cup baking dish and spread in an even layer.

For the topping: Place the sugar and almond paste in the bowl of the stand mixer and beat on medium speed until the almond paste is broken into tiny pieces. Add the softened butter and beat on medium-high until the mixture is very light in color, almost white, 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and blend well. Scrape down the bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on lowest speed, add the flour mixture and milk alternately to the butter. Scrape down the bowl and finish blending by hand with the spatula. Cover the fruit by letting the batter fall off the spatula in long bands over the fruit (don’t try to spread it or it will sink into the  fruit). Use the spatula to blend gently the bands of batter together until it covers the fruit in a single layer.

You may want to place a baking sheet or a piece of foil under the cobbler to catch any juices that may bubble over. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the topping is nicely browned and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the topping comes out clean. The fruit should be bubbling and soft. Serve warm, accompanied by vanilla or dulce de leche ice cream.

Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for 2 to 3 days. Reheat, covered loosely with foil, in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until warmed through.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

From “The Art and Soul of Baking” by Cindy Mushet

Here’s an easy pasta dish that features zucchini, mint and basil. It’s meatless, so it can served as a side dish to the meat of your choice or it’s perfect for a vegetarian entrée. The recipe comes from Giuliano Hazan’s “Thirty Minute Pasta” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $27.50) “The improtant thing here is to cut the zuchini into narrow enough strips and sauté them long enough to develop a rich, sweet flavor,” he writes.

Fusilli with Zucchini and Mint (Fusilli alle Zucchine e Mentuccia)

1/2 medium to large sweet yellow onion
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
1 medium garlic clove
6-7 sprigs flat-leaf Italian parsley
1 1/4 pounds small zucchini
1 pound fusilli
1 sprig fresh mint
8-10 fresh basil leaves

Fill a pot for the pasta with about 6 quarts of water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil.

Peel and thinly slice the onion crosswise. Put the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet, add the onion and place over medium-high heat. Season lightly with salt and sauté until the onion turns a rich golden color, 6 to 8 minutes.

While the onion is sautéing, peel and finely chop the garlic. Finely chop enough parsley to measure 2 tablespoons. Wash the zucchini, trim the ends and cut into narrow strips. First cut slices lengthwise 1/4-inch thick. Then cut into strips 1/4-inch wide and 1 to 1 1/2 inches long.

When the onion is ready, add the garlic and parsley. Stir for 10 to 15 seconds, then add the zucchini. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is very tender and lightly browned in places about 10 minutes.

After the zucchini has cooked for 5 minutes, add about 2 tablespoons salt in the boiling pasta water, add the fusilli and stir well. Cook until al dente.

While the zucchini is cooking, chop the mint medium fine and coarsely chop the basil. After the zucchini has cooked 8 minutes, add the mint and basil. When the zucchini is ready, remove from the heat.

Just before the pasta is done, put the skillet with the zucchini back over high heat and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pasta water. Stir to loosen and dissolve all the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, then remove from the heat.

When the pasta is done, drain well, toss with the sauce and serve at once.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: “Thirty Minute Pasta” by Giuliano Hazan

Here’s a quick recipe for grilling that incorporates two Texas ingredients now in season: blackberries and lavender leaves.

Lamb Chops with Blackberries and Lavender

8 lamb loin chops (about 3 pounds)

Marinade:
2 cups fresh blackberries
1/2 cup sweet red vermouth
1/4 cup fresh lavender leaves, finely chopped (see note)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 to 6 cloves garlic, to taste, minced or pressed

Place the lamb chops in a 1-gallon zippered-top plastic bag.

Combine the blackberries, vermouth, lavender, salt, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in a medium-sized bowl. Mash the berries. Pour the marinade into the bag, seal and squish around to coat the chops. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 to 4 hours and preferably overnight.

Preheat the grill with all the burners on high for 10 minutes and the lid down.

When the grill is hot, turn all the burners to medium. Place the lamb hops on the grill, close the lid and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Adjust the time slightly up or down if you desire a different degree of doneness.

Transfer the chops to a platter, loosely tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: You can use untreated lavender flowers as a garnish on the finished dish, if desired, but use the more pungent leaves for the marinade. If you can’t find the lavender leaves, try 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, to taste, and omit the Worcestershire sauce.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Source: Adapted from “The New Gas Grill Gourmet” by A. Cort Sinnes

In “A Christmas Story,” the narrator gleefully describes all of the leftover turkey dishes that won’t be served in his household that winter after the neighbors’ dogs have made away with their dinner: “No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey a la King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, all gone!”

Not on his list of leftover ideas is one that I grew up with in Louisville, Ky. It’s known as the Hot Brown, and it originated at one of the city’s finer hotels, the Brown.

According to the dish’s history on the hotel’s website, chef Fred Schmidt created the Hot Brown in the 1920s after patrons of the nightly dinner dance grew tired of the same ham and eggs to sober them up before leaving. He combined a Mornay sauce and bacon with turkey breast meat and broiled the dish until it was bubbly. A culinary tradition was born.

The state also had something of a signature dish with the Hot Brown, which I remember in my younger days being served at political functions, at fancy dress dinners, at derby parties, in people’s homes. It was, and is, a staple.

As with any good dish, variations have cropped up over the years. If one is to believe the recipe offered by the Brown, Texas toast is used as the base. I have had it served more often on homemade biscuits. Food Network star Bobby Flay’s gussied up variation uses an egg-batter bread.

Some swear the original did not come with slices of tomato. I like the addition because the freshness and brightness of the tomato’s acid cuts through the rich sauce.

The Brown’s recipe is also served with parsley on top. I don’t recall ever seeing that on a Hot Brown in the past, even when I’ve had it at the Brown Hotel. Nothing about this dish calls for a touch of green. And why would you want to hide the bacon?

I even devised a low-fat version one year using fat-free half-and-half, reduced-fat cheese and turkey bacon. It wasn’t bad, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend it as more than an experiment.

I visited my folks at the beginning of the month, and we shared a Thanksgiving feast a little early. The next day, Mom whipped up some Hot Browns for us, and she offered a new version: To cut the carbs somewhat (though not completely when you count the flour in the sauce), she left the bread out completely. No biscuits, no Texas toast, nothing. She also served the leftover cran-raspberry relish on the side, which added to its luster. A glass of white Burgundy and you’re all set for some good eats.

So, don’t feel tied to tradition when making your own version. The beauty of this dish is that it will make you forget you’re using leftover turkey.

Pomegranates are in season, so why not pick one up the next time you’re at the supermarket and use it in this easy seafood dish. There are numerous methods people give for peeling this fruit, from dunking them under water to going slowly around the fruit with a paring knife. The easiest, though, is to cut it down the middle and then start separating the seeds from the pith and the membranes. Juice, bright red and stain inducing, will flow no matter how you attempt to peel one, so be prepared beforehand to clean up some mess. The flavor is worth it.

Sole with Pomegranates

6 large sole fillets, about 7 ounces each, trimmed
3 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pomegranates, halved, seeds removed, pith discarded
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Dust the sole fillets with the flour. Heat the butter in a frying pan, then sauté the sole over medium heat until just turning golden. Scatter in the pomegranate seeds, pour in the wine. season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for 1 minute. Turn the fillets and cook , uncovered, for 1 more minute. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

From “A Passion for Fruit” by Lorenza de’Medici

If you have kids and are planning a Halloween party this weekend, here are a few last-minute ideas to scare up some fun.

• Use candy corn or pumpkins to decorate orange or black cupcakes.
• Use plastic spiders or vampire teeth to decorate a Halloween cake (be sure the kids don’t eat them, though!).
• Take an opaque stein or tall mug that a child can stick his or her hand into, and fill it with gooey eyeballs. To do this, you need 1 can of lychees (available at many Asian markets) and 1 jar of pimento-stuffed olives. Drain the juice from the lychees into the stein. Stuff the olives into the lychees and pour them into the stein. These not only feel slimy and slick, they also look like eyeballs in case one of the kids pulls one out.
• Trim carrot sticks to round, finger-length size and take a diagonal slice off the tips for fingernails. You can use cream cheese to make the “nails” or stick sliced almonds on the ends (use a little cream cheese for sticking) to make the fingernails.  Make your favorite dip or guacamole and stick 5 of the fingers, nails up, to look like a hand coming up out of the dip.
• Borrow an idea from Timbo’s burger joint on Broadway, which serves the famous and original Shypoke Eggs. Make Scary Hairy Eyeball Nachos using the same idea, with nacho rounds, white and yellow cheeses, and olives for eyes. (Link to instructions below.)
• Grown-ups like Halloween, too.  A Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting is easier to eat and almost as good as a caramel-covered apple. (Link to recipe is below.)
• For a gruesome drink, float a frozen “hand” in a bowl of punch. (Recipe follows.)

Recipe: Scary Hairy Eyeball Nachos

Recipe: Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting

Hand-some Punch

This punch will give people both a trick and a treat, if you float a frozen hand in it.

1 non-latex glove
1 gallon pineapple juice
1 (3-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 liter seltzer or club soda
1 liter lemon-lime soda, such as 7-Up
2 pints orange sherbet, cut into 2-inch cubes

Take a non-latex glove. Fill it with just enough water to look like a hand. Tie the end with a rubber band. Place in a plastic, zip-top bag and freeze.

Shortly before serving, mix pineapple juice with orange juice concentrate, then add club soda and lemon-lime soda. Float in pieces of sherbet.  Float in frozen hand and serve.

From John Griffin

That pumpkin you buy for a jack-o-lantern is not just a decoration, regardless of the sticker that may appear on it.

It’s a fruit, like any other squash, with nutritious seeds at the center and firm flesh that you can eat as a side dish or in a pie.

But getting it ready to eat takes a little effort on your part.

The first step is to select a pumpkin. The more colorful heirloom pumpkins, such as those blue-gray or green, are actually better for eating, though some are marked for decoration. The worst for eating is said to the standard carving pumpkin, but those cook up as well as any other, even if they are slightly stringier. (Just run it through the food processor a little while longer and you won’t know the difference.)

Look for a pumpkin without any bruises on the outside; or if there are bruises, cut around them.

Cutting into the pumpkin can take some effort. I’ve seen people use a hammer to drive a knife into the skin. That requires some skill and careful attention. I haven’t tried it. I’m the type who would drive the knife into my hand first. So, I use a bread knife with a serrated blade and a strong handle.

Cut the pumpkin roughly in half first. That way, you can scoop out as much of the seeds and string as possible. I use my hands for that, though a spoon works almost as well. (Don’t throw the seeds, or pepitas, away. Click here for directions on toasting them.)

Then I cut the pumpkin into pieces and place them on a half sheet pan (18 inches by 13 inches) with the skin side up. It doesn’t matter the size of the pieces as long as they lie relatively flat on the pan. Don’t bother trying to peel the pumpkin before cooking, it takes too much time and effort.

About halfway through the carving, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Once the pan is full or the pumpkin is cut up, then pour a little water until the pan, so it is about 1/4 inch deep. Tent the top of the tray with aluminum foil and place in the oven.

Cook for about 25 minutes.

Shortly before the first phase of cooking is up, melt a stick of butter in a small saucepan.

Remove the tray from the oven and uncover the pumpkin. Turn the pumpkin over and brush the slices with melted butter. Return to the oven uncovered and cook for another 20-25 minutes or until the flesh is soft when poked with a fork.

Remove from the oven and drain the water. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, peel it.

If you are serving the pumpkin as a side dish, season it with more butter, salt or brown sugar to taste.

If you are processing the pumpkin for soup or pie, cut the pieces into 1-inch squares. Process in a food processor or blender, a little at a time until smooth.

I measure out leftover pumpkin into 2-cup freezer bags. The pumpkin will keep for up to 1 year in the freezer.

Why do all this work? Because fresh pumpkin is vastly superior to the canned variety. To find out, decorate your pumpkin on the outside, then cut it up, cook it and discover for yourself just how delicious it is.