Fresh Beets and Rutabega with a Prune Reduction

Wayne and I  went to Baltimore in March to "play" with Graham, Maren and Campbell while Blair was at a photography workshop and Tom was working.  While we were there Tom treated us to dinner at Woodberry Kitchen http://www.woodberrykitchen.com/ .  What a great restaurant!  It's got a really friendly, cozy, atmosphere with amazing service.  I had a very smooth grapefruit/pear martini...just yummy!  Most everything they prepare is made from local, in-season, produce with wonderful, fresh, seafood from nearby waters and locally raised poultry and beef.  We ordered several appetizers with one being roasted rutabega with a prune reduction.  I decided to try recreating this for a side dish with a combination of fresh beets and rutabega and we liked the result!

Ingredients:

2 Rutabega and 4 Beets

2 cups Bottled Prune Juice

1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. Wash beets and rutabega and wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
3. Bake beets for 50 minutes and rutabega for 1 hour 15 minutes and cool. (You can do this a day or two ahead and store in the refrigerator)
4. Reduce oven temp to 375 degrees.
5. Combine prune juice and vinegar in a small pan, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.  Simmer until reduced by half and a syrupy consistency is reached.
6. Cut ends off vegetables and peel.
7. Cut beets and rutabega into wedges, place on cookie sheet,season with salt and pepper, and drizzle reduction over all.
8. Bake for 30 minutes (stirring after 15 minutes) and serve hot with "drippings" drizzled over vegetables.