Instructions: Toss onion with white wine vinegar nearly to cover and refrigerate to crisp and color until needed, 20 to 25 minutes.

Trim beets, leaving 1 inch of stems and tails. Reserve greens. Steam beets until a knife pierces them easily, 15 to 20 minutes. Slip off skins with your hands. Trim tops and tails and quarter beets. Sprinkle with a little red wine vinegar. Steam greens until tender, then refrigerate.

Toast pine nuts in dry skillet over medium heat until golden, 5 to 10 minutes, then remove to a plate. Cover bread with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Pound garlic in mortar with salt until smooth, then add vinegar-soaked bread, marjoram, parsley and half pine nuts. Pound into a fragrant paste. Stir in olive oil to make a thick dressing (add the larger amount if you want more of salsa verde), and season with pepper.

Toss beets with sauce. Place beets on individual plates or single platter with greens. Remove onion slices from vinegar and strew them over beets. Garnish with remaining pine nuts and serve.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Comments: You can concentrate just on beets for this or combine them with a host of other foods, like potatoes, roasted peppers and hard-boiled eggs. This sauce goes well with everything. Use a good aged red wine vinegar if you have it.

NOTES :

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