Beetroot is one of those vegetables that just make you feel like a god/dess of health and vitality – even without actually eating them. I feel a distinct surge in smugness when I have them in my basket at the grocery store or market, and by the time they’ve hit my fridge I’m barely tolerable. Their mere presence in my kitchen will instil in me a longing to jog like nothing I would usually experience, and suddenly I’ll find myself drinking my 8 cups of water a day and taking my vitamins like an Olympian 😛
But, as the days go by and the beets remain unused, passed up for quicker options, perhaps, the bubble slowly begins to burst, and I’m left with an excessive amount of beetroot to use up in very little time.
And that’s where this recipe for quick pickled beets come in.
It’s not that I don’t love beets – see exhibits a, b, c, d, e, and f. But for some reason, other options tend to seem easier when I’m in a hurry – or at least less messy 😛
In an case, pickling is the perfect way to go if you’ve got more beets than you know what to do with. Or obviously if you just want pickled beets. If you like the jarred/canned version but have never made your own, you’ve GOT to try – it’s like night & day! They’re crunchy, fragrant, sweet & sour, and they’re so easy to make too that I’ll just pop the recipe right here:
A huge batch of quick pickled beets
4 medium beets, peeled and sliced as thinly as possible (I’m not particularly skilled at this and they still turn out, so no worries!)
2 cups water
2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cloves
Simply bring everything but the beets up to a boil, allowing the sugar to dissolve, then toss in the beets and cook just 4-5 minutes – enough to soften the beets but maintain a nice crunch.
Remove from the heat and take the beets out of the liquid to keep them from cooking longer. (But don’t toss the liquid!)
If you want to eat them right away, then you’re all set! Pile the rest into a sterilized air-tight container (I’m partial to using cutesy jars), pour over as much pickling liquid as possible, and keep in the fridge. I find these are still just as good as long as once month after making them – but I can’t vouch for longer, because they usually only last a few weeks!