SPICED SWEET & SOUR PICKLED BEETROOT

Spiced sweet & sour pickled beetroot image

Forget crinkle-cut versions, this light pickle is sweet and rich - perfect with cold meats, salads and punchy cheeses

Provided by Barney Desmazery

Time 1h30m

Yield Fills 1 large kilner jar

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1kg small-medium sized raw beetroot
200g caster sugar
300ml white wine vinegar
2 star anise
3 cloves
2 allspice berries
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil

Steps:

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Trim the leaves and most of stalks off the beetroot, leaving a stump of stalk on each. Wrap the beetroots individually in pieces of foil and place on a baking tray. Roast for 1 hr 15 ins or until the point of a sharp knife can be easily inserted then leave to cool.
Unwrap, peel and trim the stalks away from the beetroot. Leave the small ones whole and cut larger ones in half and pack them into a large sterilised kilner jar.
Tip the sugar, white wine vinegar, 200ml cold water the spices and bay leaves into a sauce pan and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and bubble gently, stirring, for 2 mins until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat and add the balsamic if using.
Carefully pour the hot vinegar, spices and bay over the beetroot (you might not need it all) and leave to cool uncovered. Once cool pour the olive oil over, seal the jar and keep in the fridge for up to a month.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 52 calories, Fat 0.5 grams fat, SaturatedFat 0.1 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 10 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 10 grams sugar, Fiber 1.4 grams fiber, Protein 1 grams protein, Sodium 0.1 milligram of sodium