We made a superb vegetable soup that was symbolic of the wintry weather recently. Actually, my wife created the soup. My role was much smaller: just preparing the Cavolo Nero and the Cannellini Beans, and adding a little color with slow-roasted grape tomatoes.

For a first course I put together a sort of a la carte Beet Salad. This permitted my wife to choose the accompaniments she likes, and avoids the spicier stuff that I prefer.

Using the steamed beets as the foundation, the accessories included:

• goat cheese
• toasted walnuts
• beet greens
• pistachios
• slow-roasted grape tomatoes
• grated lemon zest
• olive oil
• bittersweet Basque vinegar
• and the piece de resistance — Holy Schmitt’s Beet Flavored Horseradish Sauce

Here’s a close-up…

I think next time I should add some crystallized ginger. What do you think?