Ruby Winter Salad

We've been living in Poland for six months now and I have a grocery store that gives me a feeling of home. I'm no longer too shy to approach the butcher counter and in fact can even put together just enough polish and sign language to usually get what I am asking for. So, now that I've been tying my apron strings a bit more often, here I am.

   Beets are an every day staple here and if you had a meal that didn't include beets, it was probably breakfast. To accompany tonight's baked salmon (fresh from Norway), I assembled this lovely salad. It has just enough essence of spring to take away any lingering winter chill, at least for a moment.

Ruby Winter Salad
Makes: 2 large salads or 4 smaller salads

2 small beets, scrubbed buraki
Olive oil
1 red grapefruit
Small greens such as arugula (I used roszponka which translates to lamb's lettuce)
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted
DRESSING:
2 tablespoons honey miod
1 tablespoon oil (walnut)
1/4 teaspoon cumin kminek
Sea salt

   Trim root ends of beets and rub with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil (then you won't have to wash it..) and bake at 350°F (176°c) for an hour. Let stand until cool, then peel and cube.

   Slice grapefruit in half; cut and remove fruit sections. Pour and squeeze any juice into a small bowl (there should be a couple of tablespoons worth). Into the bowl with the juice, whisk in the honey, oil, cumin and a pinch of salt.

   Place a handful of greens onto each plate and arrange grapefuit and beet around greens. Top with hazelnuts and drizzle with dressing.

Smacznego!