Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients:
for the salad:
3 large beets with greens
1 orange
1 tangerine

dressing:
1 shallot, grated
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 tablespoon tangerine juice
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon orange zest


Directions:
Peel, quarter and roast the beets for 60 minutes at 350 or until easily pierced with a fork. Supreme and zest the citrus. Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Tear the greens into bite-sized pieces. Arrange the greens on a plate, top with hot roasted beets and fruit. Drizzle with dressing when ready to serve.

My thoughts:

I always find salad making a bit daunting in the winter. I prefer to eat seasonally, so virtually none of my favorite salad ingredients are in season. You can however find good citrus and fresh beets so I decided to combine the two and make a winter salad that is worthy of my time. The heat from the roasted beets "cooks" the greens so there is no reason to steam or blanch them. This a very "adult" salad which would make it perfect for Valentine's Day and as part of Vegetable Love '08.