Pickled beets are often made with cinnamon and other sweet spices. However, beets lend themselves to savory seasonings, too. In this pickle recipe, yellow beets are combined with fennel, thyme and garlic. The pickles mellow to a lovely fawn color and the fennel reaches out over the musky beet flavor. They were a big hit at Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, I forgot to snap a photo, and they're all gone. Oops. You'll have to trust me that they were ethereally beautiful and tasty. Or try the recipe below for yourself.
This is an example of why I like shopping at Seattle farmers markets all year. You use what you have. This leads you to discover new and exciting tastes from the same foods. You can make these beets and can them in a water bath canner, or just store them in the fridge and eat them up within a month.
Pickled yellow beet salad with thyme, fennel and garlic
Makes 2 pint, or 6-8 servings
2 bunches yellow beets (about 2 pounds trimmed)
1 1/2 cups 5% vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons canning or pickling salt*
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced into 1/4 inch sticks
2-4 cloves garlic, halved and peeled
Several sprigs of fennel leaves
Trim off beet tops, leaving 1 inch of stem and roots to prevent bleeding of color during cooking. Wash beets under running water, scrubbing thoroughly with a vegetable brush. Cover with boiling water, sprinkle with salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and discard liquid. Cool beets. When cool enough to handle, trim roots and stems, then trim off skin. Cut beets in half; lay each half flat and cut into 6-8 wedges, each about 1/4 inch thick. Set beets aside.
In a medium (4-6 quart) saucepan, combine vinegar, salt, sugar and water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add beets, fennel, and garlic and bring back to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Cool cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with fennel sprigs. Serve pickled beets as part of a relish tray or with grilled meats or vegetarian dishes.
This pickled beet recipe contains enough vinegar and salt to allow them to be canned in a boiling water bath. Place a few fennel sprigs in each jar. Fill hot pint jars with hot yellow beet pickles, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace, and process for 30 minutes.
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