Pickled resolutions

I’ve got a busy 2010 ahead of me so I’ve decided to go easy on the New Year’s resolutions this time around.

I’ve made two seemingly achievable resolutions, the first being to make some sort of pickle.

With chefs and home cooks banging out their own cheeses, charcuterie, bread and the rest of it, I decided it was high time that I stepped up to the dinner plate and at least tried to make some sort of pickle.

So that’s what I’ve done here with these super simple pickled beets. And in doing so, I’ve taken care of resolution #1.

Resolution #2 is going to be a little bit trickier because it involves finding a boyfriend. My friends tell me the key is for me to make eye contact in public and to stop calling everyone an idiot, but I think they’re wrong about that. Instead, I figure these pickled beets will be the ticket to landing my Prince Charming.

PICKLED BEETS

(makes a 1 litre jar or 2 1-quart jars)

Ingredients:

6 small roasted beets (directions below)

3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 large carrot, peeled, then using carrot peeler, peel into ribbons until you hit the woody core (discard stem end and core.)

½ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup white vinegar

1 cup water

1 ½ tsp Kosher salt

½ cup sugar

Method:

1. To roast beets, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry beets then wrap tightly in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast in oven for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through but not mush.

2. When beets are cooked (beets can be roasted ahead of time) add the red and white vinegars, water, salt and sugar to a small non-reactive saucepan. Give it a stir and bring to a boil.

3. Remove peels from beets (a messy job – I like to do it in the sink), then thinly slice beets. Alternate layers of shallot, carrot ribbons and beets in your glass jar, pushing down slightly so they all fit. Pour hot vinegar mixture overtop (I also like to do this step in the sink – better safe than sorry), screw on lid and let cool on the counter for an hour then put jar in the fridge for 3-5 days before serving.