Sweet and sour beetroot

IMAGE: SIMON LAMBERT
IMAGE: SIMON LAMBERT
Beetroot can be eaten in so many ways. One of our Kiwi favourites is to bottle it for our summer barbecues.

This is a quick go-to brine which can be eaten within minutes but will last for weeks.

This delicious way to serve beetroot will liven up your meals as you can simply add it alongside to add a little spark of flavour.

Serves 6 as a side

Overall time - 10 minutes

Skill - easy

Ingredients

3-4 (400g) beetroot, finely sliced

2 shallots, finely sliced

250ml red wine vinegar

80g brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick

4 cloves

4 peppercorns

½ tsp salt

1 small sprig rosemary

Method

Thinly slice the beetroot on a mandolin if you have one or otherwise slice the beets into the thinnest rounds you can, set aside.

Slice the shallots as you have done for the beetroot and set aside.

Add the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and salt into a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to the boil.

Add the beetroot and rosemary and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and let the beetroot sit in the liquid for a couple more minutes.

Add the shallots.

You can eat these straight away as they are fresher and more crisp, or store them for later and they will pickle nicely in the fridge.

Keep them submerged under the brine and they will last for a couple of weeks.