These exotic beets looks like little jewels on the plate. Open a jar for a quick salad that makes a nice accompaniment to potato pancakes or vegetable fritters.
I can remember the joy of eating beets with my dad when I was little. Like me, my daughter Annabeth loves beets because of their pink and purple color. She says she likes their sweet and “pickley” taste. Her twin sister, Miette, always claims she doesn’t like beets, but there are never any left on her plate at the end of the meal!
based on a recipe from the book Put ‘en Up! by Sherri Vinton, contributed by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds small or medium beets
2 cups distilled white vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp salt
4 tsp cumin seed
12 whole cloves
Method
1. Boil beets by placing them in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a low boil and cook for about 40 minutes until tender when pierced. Drain and cool. Slip off skins by pinching and pulling. I like to work near the sink so I can wash my hands and the beets easily. The skin seems to slip off easier when wet. Trim off any stubborn bits with a small knife including the tops and bottoms of the beets.
2. Begin boiling a full pot of water for hot water canning bath. It can take some time to come to a boil.
3. Prepare four pint (2 cup/ 500 ml) jars, lids, and rings by washing them in hot soapy water. Keep warm. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer in preparation for processing jars after they are filled. Water should be high enough to cover the jars at least 1 inch.
4. Cut the beets in half and then slice them into 1/4 inch slices.
5. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve.
6. Pack beets into four hot pint jars. Leave about 1 inch of space from the top of the jar. Place three cloves and 1 tsp of cumin seeds in each jar.
7. Ladle hot brine into each jar leaving 1/2 inch headspace between the top of the liquid and the top of the jar. Wipe the rim clean and place warm lids on top. Screw on bands until finger-tip-tight. (Don’t over tighten because air needs to escape at the contents expand in the hot water bath.)
8. Process in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Jars must stand upright and be covered by 1 inch of water the entire time. One of ours was on its side and the glass broke. We’ve also had jars break because they were not hot before putting them into the boiling water. Dave and I like Ball’s green canning basket that easily lowers and lifts the hot jars into the boiling water.
9. Cool on the counter and listen for the popping sound that means you have successfully completed the job. Store in a cool dark place for up to 1 year.
My mother-in-law Mary Jane Dronet worked as a demo lady for Sam’s Club in Lake Charles for 22 years. During the 1990s her friend Anne brought this fruit salad to a company potluck. Jane kept the recipe because the main ingredients are easy to have on hand. It also makes quite a bit and is good for serving a crowd. Jane likes to eat it for breakfast with cottage cheese or vanilla yogurt. Add fresh fruit to the mix if the fruit cocktail will be eaten in one day.
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