Today’s recipe is a two-parter, but both steps are good cooking tips to know, in celebration of beets, which are in your box today.

First off, how to cook a beet? In keeping with our concern over nutrient loss, we prefer to roast instead of boil. Once your beets are cooked, you can keep them in the fridge for easy addition to salads or a side.

Today’s recipe is Chilled Beet Soup, which uses the carrots in today’s box as well. Note: I adapted this from a recipe that calls for two 15oz. cans of beets and their liquid, but didn’t measure the extra water I added. Use just enough to make a thick, smooth puree in the blender. The buttermilk will loosen it, but this is meant to be a thick soup. We served it with bread and cheese and a few leftover salads in the fridge.

Also, this is a turning point in the season when root veggies (those that grow underground) make their appearance. Also known as “keepers,” root veggies will keep for quite a while in your fridge. Here’s a primer on how to store them.

Chilled Beet Soup

Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
3 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 cups cooked, peeled, chopped beets
1 cup water
2 cups buttermilk
Chopped fresh chives

Preparation
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add carrots and onion. Cover; cook until vegetables are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add beets, vinegar, and water, cover and cook until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes longer.

Let cool, and working in batches, purée veggie mix in the blender, adding up to one-half cup more water as needed. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in buttermilk. Season with salt and pepper. Chill until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)

Ladle into bowls or mugs. Top with chives.