Roasted Beet Salad

This salad is quick and actually very pretty.   I don't think there are many things more beautiful than the inside of a roasted beet.  Seriously, take a moment to appreciate it the next time you find yourself roasting a beet.  That's reason enough for me to make this dish again.

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
2 large beets, washed to remove any dirt
1 cup red wine vinegar
olive oil, salt and pepper
1 red onion, sliced
1/3 cup feta cheese plus more for crumbling on top
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 Tablespoon torn mint
more red wine vinegar (to taste)

1) Preheat your oven to 375 F.  Place the washed beets into a loaf pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and then add the red wine vinegar so that there is about an inch of liquid in the pan.  Cover and seal with aluminum foil and put it in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until the beets are easily pierced with a paring knife.
2) Remove the beets from the oven and allow to cool completely or enough for you to handle them.  Meanwhile, place the red onions in some red wine vinegar or lemon juice for 15 minutes to remove the bitterness from them and then rinse them off.   If you want to save vinegar you can just soak them in ice water instead, but the vinegar gives the onions a nice flavor.
3) Wearing gloves, take some paper towels and rub the skin off of the beets.  Then cut them into cubes and place in a large bowl.
4) Add the torn mint, pine nuts, a drizzle of olive oil, crumbled feta, some of the cooking liquid, fresh red wine vinegar (to taste) salt and pepper.

5) Put into serving bowls and top with some more crumbled feta and mint.  Enjoy!

*I used mentuccia which is a wild mint plant because it grows in our yard but you can just use fresh mint leaves.