Don Silvers

1 1/2 pounds beets

1 cup soft fresh goat cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1/2 cup chopped beet greens

Preheat the oven to 350. Wash the beets. Leaving them wet, wrap them individually in foil. Place them in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until they're nice and tender (poke a thin-bladed knife right through the foil to test). Let cool in the foil.

Peel the beets and cut them into big chunks; arrange on a platter. Break up the goat cheese and scatter it on top of the beets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar. Garnish with the beet greens and serve.

Note: Baking beets is by far the best way to cook them-they don't become waterlogged, they're less messy to prepare, and their sweetness is intensified rather than leached out. Once you try it, you'll never go back to boiling. For the beet greens, you can substitute almost any herb, like parsley, chervil or basil.