BEET, ARUGULA AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Beets - (boiled until a fork easily goes in it, about an hour), peeled, sliced into strips
Fresh arugula - rinsed, patted dry with a paper towel
Goat cheese - chevre
Walnuts - chopped

Dressing ingredients:
Olive oil
Lemon
Dry powdered mustard
Sugar
Salt and pepper

The amount of ingredients depends on how many people you are serving and how much salad you intend to serve them. The important thing is that this is a good blend of flavors. I didn't try tossing this salad; each plate was composed individually. The dressing for three individual salads was 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/2 lemon, 1/4 teaspoon of powdered mustard, 3/4 teaspoon of sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Actually, it is all to taste. These are only approximate measurements. Assemble the salad according to how much you want. A handful of arugula leaves, a few beet juliennes, some crumbled goat cheese, garnish with chopped walnuts. Use a vinaigrette salad dressing or what I've described above.

CELERIAC AND BEET SALAD

6 medium beets (2 1/4 lb with greens), trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
1 (1-lb) celeriac 
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus additional to taste
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (2 oz), toasted and cooled 

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wrap beets tightly in foil to make 2 packages (3 beets in each) and roast until tender, about 1 1/4 hours. While beets roast, peel celery root with a sharp knife and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks. Whisk together lemon juice, shallot, oil, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl until combined well, then add celery root and toss until coated. Keep at room temperature, covered, until ready to add beets. Carefully unwrap beets and, when just cool enough to handle, slip off skins and remove stems. Cut beets into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks and toss with celery root. Let salad stand, covered, at room temperature 1 hour. Taste salad and season with more lemon juice and salt if necessary, then toss with walnuts.

RIKKI'S BORSCHT

1 cup beets (thinly sliced) 
4 cups vegetable stock
1 Tablespoon butter 
2 teaspoons salt
1 ½ cups chopped onion 
Black pepper (optional)
2-3 potatoes, cubed 
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 large sliced carrot
1 medium cabbage  
Sour cream
Extra dill

Begin cooking onions in butter in a large soup pot. Add salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent, add carrots and cabbage. Combine stock, beets and potatoes in soup pot, add all other ingredients. Cover and simmer slowly for 35-40 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Add sour cream and extra dill.

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH ORANGES AND BEET GREENS

1 bunch of beets with beet greens attached
2 medium oranges
1 small sweet onion, cut through root end into thin wedges
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim greens from beets. Cut off and discard stems. Coarsely chop leaves and reserve. Wrap each beet in foil. Place beets directly on oven rack and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool. Peel beets, then cut each into 8 wedges. Place beets in medium bowl. Cook beet greens in large saucepan of boiling water just until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Cool. Squeeze greens to remove excess moisture. Add greens to bowl with beets. Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over another bowl and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. Add orange segments and onion to bowl with beet mixture. Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic, and orange peel in small bowl to blend; add to beet mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Serve.