In-season if winter and early spring, beetroots are great for roasting, for casseroles, soups, salads and dips. It’s also easy to pickle and set aside for summer sandwiches and burgers.
Pickled beetroot
Ingredients
- 4 beetroots large (600-800g total)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp peppercorns, coarsely cracked
- 4 curry leaves
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp salt
Method
Preheat oven to 160ยบ C
Wash beetroot thoroughly. Place in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Roast, covered, for 1-2 hours, or until al dente (cooking them in boiling water is quicker, but the flavour isn’t quite as good).
Remove from oven to cool.
Place all other ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the cinnamon and cloves.
Once beetroots are cool, remove skin and cut beetroot into slices - I like about .5 cm.
Pack beetroot into hot, sterilised jars.
Use some of the pickling liquid to deglaze the roasting dish and return the liquid to the saucepan.
Top up the jars with vinegar mixture, evenly distributing the remaining whole spices.
Seal and store in a cool place.
Yields about 4 jam jars of yummy beetroot pickles.
