Pomegranate, Beet, and Blood Orange Salad

Ingredients

• 4 medium beets
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup blood orange juice (from about 1 blood orange)
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses*
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 medium red onion
• thinly sliced
• 3 blood oranges
• peeled
• cut into1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds (from one 11-ounce pomegranate)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Place beets in roasting pan and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
3. Add 1/4 cup water.
4. Cover pan with foil; roast beets until knife easily pierces center, about 50 minutes.
5. Cool.
6. Peel beets and cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges.
7. Whisk orange juice, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl to blend.
8. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
9. Place onion in small bowl; cover with cold water.
10. Soak onion 1 minute, drain, and squeeze dry in kitchen towel.
11. Add beets, onion, orange slices, and pomegranate seeds to vinaigrette in bowl; toss.
12. Season salad with salt and pepper.
13. *A thick pomegranate syrup available at Middle Eastern markets, some supermarkets, and by mail from Adriana's Caravan (adrianascaravan.com).