Trim beets and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place in a roasting pan. Toss with the olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Roast in a 425 degree F oven about 35 minutes, tossing occasionally, or until beets are just fork-tender and lightly crisped on the outside. Place in a blender container or food processor bowl. Add garlic, balsamic vinegar, and walnuts; cover and blend or process until a coarse puree is formed. Place in a bowl. Stir in feta cheese, fennel seed, lemon peel, and ground red pepper. Add additional salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar to taste.

Serve at room temperature and spoon into sweet pepper wedges, split snow peas, or endive spears, or onto garlic toast, as desired. (For garlic toast, brush baguette slices with garlic-flavor oil and toast until golden.) Garnish with capers and, if desired, lemon peel. Makes about 1-1/2 cups (twenty-four 1-tablespoon servings).

To roast garlic: Remove the papery outer layers from garlic head but leave the skins of the cloves intact. Cut off 1/4 inch from the tips to expose individual cloves. Place garlic head, cut side up, in a small baking dish or foil packet. Brush sides and top with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cover or seal and bake in a 400 degree F oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until cloves feel soft when pressed; cool. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week. To serve, press garlic paste from individual cloves.

Refrigerate tapenade in an airtight nonmetal container for up to 3 days.