Pickled beets great addition to salad

With spring on its way, I look forward to incorporating lighter foods that make the body feel energized. For me, this includes a lot of salads, but the same salad every day can become boring. Pickled beets are an easy topping that can be held in the fridge and added to any salad for an extra twist, or just eaten on their own. I prefer to use fresh beets so they are not quite as soft when pickled. In a pinch, you can use canned beets and just skip to step number five and use the liquid from the canned beets in your pickling. 

PICKLED BEETS 

INGREDIENTS

4 small beets, greens removed 

Pinch of salt 

Water 

1 ½ c apple cider vinegar 

¾ c brown sugar 

4 lightly crushed garlic cloves, peeled 

½ c thin-sliced yellow onion 

½ t coriander seeds 

1 t black peppercorns 

½ t dill seeds 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Trim and peel the beets. Cut each into 6 wedges.  

2. Place the beets and a little salt in a small saucepan, add water to cover by 1”. Simmer 10-12 minutes, until the beets are tender.  

3. Using a slotted spoon, remove beets and transfer them to a bowl.  

4. Pour out and discard all but 1 cup of the beet liquid.  

5. Add the vinegar, sugar, and a little salt, and bring the liquid to a boil. Cook at a rolling boil for 5  minutes. Remove from the heat. 

6. Add the garlic, onion, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, and dill seeds to the bowl with the  beets and toss to combine.  

7. Pack the beets and seasonings into a container (glass jars work well). Pour the pickling liquid over the beets. Make sure the beets are completely submerged.  

8. Cool the beets to room temperature, cover the container and refrigerate at least 24 hours. 

9. For best results, refrigerate for an additional 1-2 days.

Michaella Evert is an Instructional Assistant at FVCC’s Culinary Institute of Montana.