Roasted Beet Salad

Ingredients

• 12 med.-sized beets (about 3 lbs.)
• 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 1 T granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. honey-style mustard
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 c. light olive oil
• 1/4 c. vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. poppy seed
• 1 c. fennel, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash beets well. Trim stems to 1 inch and trim roots. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil and bake until tender about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and slip off skin. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in bowl.

While beets are roasting, make dressing in the bowl of food processor. Combine vinegar, sugar, mustard, paprika and salt. Pulse a few times. With motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive and vegetable oils through the feed tube. Remove to a bowl and fold in poppy seeds. Toss beets with 1/3 cup of the poppy seed dressing. With a rubber spatula, lightly fold in the celery or fennel and 2 tablespoons of chopped chives. Add more dressing or save for another use. Sprinkle remaining chopped chives on top of salad.