Ginger Beet Salad

Oranges and ginger compliment the natural sweetness of roasted beets. While I'm not sure I'd attempt to eat this salad while walking down the street, like my Beet Queen friend from grad school, I have to admit that I've found myself snacking on it throughout the day.

Use small to medium sized beets in this recipe. The beets that I used were small enough that I could roast them in my toaster oven, instead of heating up the big old standard oven.

Ingredients

3 medium sized beets, scrubbed
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon orange rind
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
two oranges, peeled and chopped, and juice reserved
red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Trim all but the last inch of the beet stems, and remove any dangling roots. Reserve the beet greens for use in another dish.
Wrap each beet in aluminum foil.
Bake the beets until they are easily pierced by a fork, 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. (Smaller beets may be done sooner - check each beet individually).
Unwrap and cool the beets.
Working over a bowl in the sink, slice each beet in half, and slip off the skin. You might want to wear an apron or old shirt at this stage, as the beet juice could stain your clothing.
Cube or slice the beets, and place them in a bowl.
Add the ginger, orange rind and salt, and toss to coat.
Stir in the orange, reserved orange juice, and red wine vinegar to taste.

Serves 4 as a side dish, or as a light meal when paired with fresh bread and goat cheese.