Beet and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

I should have taken a picture--these were pretty. I was attempting to recreate a favorite dish from Cafe Lula.

• 4-5 small-to-medium-sized beets. We got these in the CSA this week; we had a couple candy cane beets, and the rest were golden
• 4 oz. goat cheese at room temperature
  
• one mini whole-wheat baguette
• garlic clove
  
• olive oil
• white wine vinegar
• salt and pepper
• lettuce of your choice -- something sharp like arugula is good
  

To roast the beets: Preheat oven to 375°. Peel beets and slice into thickish rounds--maybe a quarter of an inch or so. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil, a couple pinches of salt, a generous grind of pepper, and a little splash of white wine vinegar. Arrange a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet with a rim. Spread beets out on sheet; top with another sheet and seal edges by rolling the aluminum sheets together and pinching closed. Bake for about half an hour. Check the beets a bit beforehand; you will want to cook them until fork tender and just browning on the edges. When done, toss in a bowl with a little more vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

For bruschetta, slice baguette into rounds on the bias, about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. Brush both sides with olive oil. Heat grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill rounds of bread on each side until golden brown with attractive char marks. (You can do this in a regular skillet also, or under the broiler.) Cut garlic clove in half and rub each side of each piece with the cut side of the clove. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

For salad, dress greens with a mixture of 3 T. olive oil to 1 T. balsamic vinegar, with salt and pepper to taste. Dress lightly.

To assemble, spread each bruschetta thickly with goat cheese. Top with two slices of roasted beet. Lightly mound salad over a plate with several bruschetta.