Food like music has the power to take you back in time - to a different place in the space time continuum. For me this is one of those foods.
In its most basic form you can make these with four items you probably already have on hand.-Beets
-Vinegar
-Sugar
-Hard Boiled Eggs
When these four basic items combine they create a magical transporter where I have been beamed back to my youth. This is Festival Food made by many loving hands every summer for our church festival dinner...
Here is my ode to:Pickled Beets and Eggs.
There are just about as many variations on this age old recipe as there are stars in the sky (maybe not), but everyone seems to have the one they like the best. I took my favorite parts out of several recipes and came up with something magical. And I took a million pictures too because they are beautiful...
This story starts at a local farm stand and the beautiful bundles of beets there. I loaded my cart with those beauties and a few other essentials...dill (with seeds so I can spread them and have my own fresh dill next year!), some sweet corn, and a gorgeous heirloom tomato.
I am notorious for not really following recipes and winging it. This is one you can totally wing...there is no right or wrong it is all just personal taste. I used fresh beets, but canned are totally fine just make sure to save the juice...
I took four (4) beets, which was just shy of a pound, cut off the leaves and wrapped them tightly in tin foil. I roasted them in the oven at 350 for about 75 minutes. You just need them soft. No need to peel prior, because the skins will slip right off after you roast them and let them cool. I also cut up one sweet onion.
See the skin just slid off with my hands...of course I also looked as if I may or may not have committed a crime in the process. REMEMBER beets stain!
While the eggs were cooling I sliced up the beets. No rhyme or reason here just chop chop. Next I put the onion and beets in a non reactive bowl. This must be important because most recipes stated this explicitly. Not being a chemist I am guessing it has to do with the chemical and reactive nature of vinegar and metal bowl or the like would taint the taste, but don't quote me on that...just use glass and you are good.
Now peel your eggs. I used six maybe seven, but today (the next day) I am cooking more to make them magic too...
You also need to make your pickling brine...this is where there are a million ways to customize to you particular tastes. Mine consisted of apple cider vinegar, white sugar, fresh cracked black pepper, cinnamon, bay leaves, and cloves.
I went with a 2 to 1 ratio apple cider vinegar to sugar ratio. My first attempt did not make enough so I ended up doing two batches to cover the precious eggs and beets (and onion). In total I believe I went with 3 cups of apple cider vinegar and 1.5 cups of white sugar. Again you will need to use a non-reactive pot to cook this in...I used my enameled cast iron and it worked brilliantly - plus it is really pretty cookware! I tossed in two bay leaves, about 10 cloves, a solid sprinkle of cinnamon, and went grind grind grind with the black pepper and brought that happy mixture to a boil. After you reach boil turn down the heat and let it simmer for about five (5) minutes so all your ingredients get to know each other. ***Side note - some recipes said to let this cool and let the ingredients mingle like they are having cocktails for a few hours. I am not that person and I wanted it done NOW! I let it cool kinda and then poured this bad boy
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| Boiling |
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| Simmering - it looks totally different in pictures right??? |
Now you pour that happy juice over your beets, eggs, and onion.
Close that bad boy up and put it in the fridge so they can all get cozy and get to know each other...oh and this lets the beets do their magic and turn everything a beautiful ruby shade.
This is a few hours later. I am so impatient and I need to check on them...and maybe eat one. Ssoooooooo goooood! Everything...the onion, the beets, the eggs. Perfection! Back in the fridge to blend a little more.
Guess what I had for breakfast today?
This has got to be the breakfast of champions somewhere...most likely Amish country or Germany.
Look at that perfection! It was amazing. I seriously could have eaten the whole dish. Like I said I even put the rest of my eggs on to boil so I can restock them. Plus pickled food is good for you!!! Totally a health food.
Gone in Sixty Seconds.
Your food should be as beautiful as it tastes and this my friends fits that bill...
Here is a brief rundown of the recipe to the best of my hazy beet filled recollection.
Roughly one pound of beets I used four.
Remove leaves, wrap in tin foil and roast at 350 for about 75 minutes.
Hard boil eggs. I initially used six or seven.
Slice on sweet onion.
For the pickling juice:
In a non-reactive pan!
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1.5 cups white sugar
2 whole bay leaves
10 individual cloves
A shake or two of cinnamon I probably use .5 teaspoons, but could have gone a bit heavier
A few turns of fresh cracked black pepper
Bring to a boil and make sure the sugar is dissolved
Turn down heat and let simmer for about five (5) minutes
After eggs and beets are cool peel both. Cut beets however your heart desires, but leave eggs whole.
Marry everything in another non-reactive container and allow to have some alone time in the fridge...at the very least you should wait 8 hours if not 24.
Serve fancy or eat right out of the dish like I will in just a few minutes...Yum!!!
Enjoy...
Do you have a twist on this? I would love to hear about it!
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