Beets for Antipasto

From West Coast Cooking by Greg Atkinson

Makes 6 appetizer-sized servings

2 lbs beets
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
2 tea kosher salt
1 tea freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c chopped fresh Italian parsley

1. Trim the leaves off the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch of the stem attached. Do not attempt to peel them before they are cooked. (This keeps more of the juice trapped inside the beet so that it doesn't bleed into the cooking water.) Cook the beets whole in boiling water until they are fork-tender. Depending on the size and freshness of the beets, this will take anywhere from 15-45 minutes.

2. While the beets are cooking, whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Trnsfer teh cooked beets to a colander under cold running water until they are cool enough to handle, and peel them; the skins will slip off easily. Cut the cooked, peeled beets into large matchsticks.

4. Toss teh cut and cooled beets in the vinaigrette with teh parsley, and serve at room temperature.