Beet salad with Feta, from William Sonoma's “Mediterranean Cooking”,1997; recipes by Joyce Goldstein.

Ingredients:

• 4 large or 8 small beets
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or 1.4 cup fresh lemon juice)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• [1/2 cup chopped fresh mint, for vinaigrette]
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 6-7 oz watercress or lettuce mix or spinach, washed and stemmed
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

To Prepare:

1. Cut off beet greens, leaving about an inch of greens intact; (you can saute the greens for another dish).
2. Scrub the beets well under cold running water but do not break the skin. Bake in tinfoil in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 400, or until tender when pierced by a fork.[Instead you could cook the beets in water to cover in a pot on stove; bring to a boil, then turn to simmer and simmer for 15-30 minutes, till tender.]
3. Remove from heat and let cool, then peel the beets and slice or quarter them.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, garlic, allspice. salt and pepper, then whisk in the olive oil. To soften the sharpness of the onion, let onions sit in a bowl for a few minutes with a little vinaigrette on them.
5. Add 1/4 cup of vinaigrette to beets and toss well; serve the rest at the table as a salad dressing. Arrange the beets on top of the salad greens and top with feta cheese.