Golden Beet Salad from a Country South of Spain, North of Ghana

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beets
• trimmed
• 1 lemon
• juice of
• large
• 12 teaspoon ground cumin
• 12 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 14 teaspoon cinnamon (I actually add closer to 1/3 teaspoon)
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water (start with 1/2 tablespoon and adjust)
• 3 -4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
• chopped
• loose leaf lettuce (optional) or romaine lettuce (optional)

Instructions

1. Wash the beets well, peel, trim off tops and steam until tender, about 20-30 minutes.
2. Alternately, the beets can be oven-roasted or placed in aluminum foil and grilled.
3. Once beets are cool, slice thinly.
4. In a non-reactive bowl toss the sliced beets with the lemon juice, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, orange blossom water, olive oil, salt and the pepper.
5. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
6. Cover and chill.
7. Marinate 2-3 hours.
8. Just before serving, stir in the chopped fresh parsley.
9. If desired, line each salad plate with lettuce leaves and top with the beet salad.