2 pounds red beets (about 6 medium or 4 large beets), washed and trimmed with leaf stems intact so the beets don?t bleed while simmering in water.

1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
8 ounces fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved, or 4 ounces dried cherries
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
8 cups or 1/3 pound local baby lettuce mix, rinsed in cold water and dried well
4 ounces fresh goat cheese

Beet-cherry mixture
Place the beets in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Add the fennel seeds, salt and red wine vinegar and bring the water to a simmer. Cook the beets until a knife easily pierces through them without resistance. This should take 30-40 minutes, depending upon the size of the beets. When the beets are cooked, strain them into a colander (discard the water). While the beets are still warm, peel them and rinse under cold water if necessary. Cut the beets into thin rings crosswise and marinate them in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the cherries to the beets and let stand at room temperature.

To serve
In a bowl, toss the lettuce with a few spoon s of the beet-cherry marinade. Season with addition al salt and pepper if desired. Spoon the beet-cherry mixture onto plates. Place the lettuce on top of beets and a small amount of goat cheese next to the salad.