Every once in a while, I absolutely crave beets. I love them in a salad, I love them roasted and served with goat cheese and toasted walnuts, and sometimes I even love them pickled with big slices of onions.
I learned to love them pickled when I went off to college in Montana. I spent the summers living in a small trailer behind the house of this elderly couple who kinda adopted me. Marie and Ken Fisher owned a small seed business in Belgrade Montana called Fishers Seed Company. Ken had been growing and packaging his own seeds since 1945. I would sometimes help Ken in the fields and in exchange for living in this 100 square foot trailer. I would also help Marie in the kitchen where she taught me how to pickle cucumbers, zucchini, and the most amazing beets I’d ever had. I loved how they were sweet and also very sour with big slices of onions that took on this vibrant pink color.
Not everyone has time and space to pickle things. I wanted to make beets that didn’t take the whole day to process. In under an hour you could make these beets for an excellent side dish or a delectable snack. You could roast the beets in the oven for an hour, but in the heat of summer, I find it easier and just as tasty to just boil them. Once they have been cooked the skins should just slip off, making it easy to prepare. If you rub them under cold running water, the whole peeling is quick and easy. These beets are not as “pickled as the jars of bright red beets I loved in college. But they have been inspired by my memories of that, long time ago time (gulp!) when my life was more straightforward, and the world was all sunshine and pickled beets…lol
I know not everyone loves beets and that this will not be for everyone. But I encourage you to try this recipe as it might make a beet lover out of you!
Slightly sour from balsamic vinegar and sweetened with maple syrup. These beets are an amazing side dish for any summer gathering, or anytime of the year
- 6 medium beets, about 1 ¾ lbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium shallots chopped
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
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In a medium-sized pan place the unpeeled beets and fill the pot with water to cover the beets completely.
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Add a generous teaspoon or so of salt.
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Bring the pot to boil and cook them for about 30 to 40 minutes. At 30 minutes, start to test them. A fork should easily pierce the beets. Try not to overcook them as you will be cooking them a bit later.
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When the Beets are done drain them and rinse them in cold water. I find the easiest way to peel them is under a running faucet. Rub the beets and the skin should just slip off. Trim any leftover skin.
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Cut the beets into wedges about ½ inch thick.
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In a large sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium heat.
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To the heated pan add the chopped shallots. Cook for a couple of minutes just until the shallots began to cook through.
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Add the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, Thyme, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture bubble for about 4 – 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to reduce almost by half.
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Add the beets and bring them to a simmer stirring to coat the beets. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes until hot and bubbling.
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These Beets can be served warm or let them cool and serve cold. These beets taste even better the next day. Serve with more sprigs of fresh thyme.
