By pickling my own vegetables I can use much less salt and sugar than the commercial varieties have.
After steaming a pound of beets until tender, and after cooling, slip the skin off. Then cut into quarters or eights, depending upon the size of the beets.
In a small pan bring juice of 4 limes, 1 teaspoon green peppercorns, and sugar and salt if using, to a boil and stir for two minutes.
Pour over beets in the jar and let cool.
Add the zest from the four limes and a tablespoon of olive oil to the beets.
Turn jar over to mix zest and oil with the beets.
Store in the refrigerator overnight, turning the jar once in awhile.
These beets include Detroit Dark Red, Golden, Chioggia, and a white beets that must have gotten mixed up while the seeds were being packaged.
The list of ingredients is short. They are limes, green peppercorns, olive oil and the beets. Zesting is easy with the microplane grater. I think the beets are sweet enough, but if you don’t you can add 1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste. I pick the green peppercorns from the jar with all colors. Up to you if you want to add any salt.
The lime zest is added to the top of the jar, then turn the jar to mix it in.
I put the jar on it’s side in the refrigerator, turning it whenever I’m getting something else out. The next day they are ready to enjoy.
Note: Watched Sara Moulton use an egg slicer to slice beets. Great idea!