Even those who eschew beets will like these. I have turned the palettes of many a beet hater with these. Those who love beets, love this recipe and it is in honor of Dr. Megan Jamilah Furniss that I am posting this recipe today.

Perfectly Poised and Precious Pickled Beets

1. one or two bunches of beets (golden, red, or any combination thereof)
2. one small onion sliced in half and then into thin strips
3. dash of Mirin
4. ½–1 whole cup of apple cider vinegar
5. dash of white wine vinegar
6. juice of ½ lemon or more
7. pinch or two of good salt, (I used to use tamari or coconut aminos but now prefer salt, see my Let’s Talk Salt post)
8. drizzle of olive oil
9. ¼–½ teaspoon. of white pepper
10. ¼–½ Tbsp. garlic powder
11. ½ teaspoon. of dry dill or a bunch of chopped fresh dill, or parsley or tarragon (you need a greenish garnish)
12. beet green leaves, sliced very, very fine and thin (optional)

Cut the greens off the beets and put aside for salads or soups or keep a few choice leaves two at most to cut thin and add in at the end. Cut off the part of the beet where the stems grew and the pointy tips. Do not peel them. Put whole beets into a large pot with water covering them. Let boil for 20–40 minutes. Once the water begins to boil, you can turn the heat down, but make sure you keep it simmering/boiling a little. It’s okay if you forget about them for a little while. You may have to add water if too much of it evaporates while they are simmering. You want these puppies cooking hot. Don’t cover the pan, you won’t be able to see what’s happening. You will know they are done if you can easily slice or poke through one with a knife, or you can just go for the 40 minute time. Put the pot in the sink and run cold water over the whole beets for a while. The skins will slip off the beets as you rub your hands over them. If you are preparing these in a hurry, you will have to work with the beets hot, which isn’t so easy. Otherwise, while the cold water is running, the skins will just come off as you fondle the beets. It’s so cool. The beets should be cooked all the way through and cut like butter, otherwise they aren’t done enough. Place them in a clean bowl and slice them in rounds or in half and then into thin slivers, however you like, although I am not a fan of chunks. The more surface area you expose with your slicing or cutting the more flavor is released. This is a principle of BIOLOGY, not just my preference. Slice onion in half or keep it whole but make sure you slice very thin slivers and add to the sliced beets.

Pour a liberal amount of vinegar over these, at least ½ to 1 cup of the vinegar. Add the oil and sprinkle white pepper and garlic powder, dash of salt (tamari or coconut aminos) and Mirin and stir. Taste and adjust flavors as needed. If you have fresh herbs, chop these up and throw over the beets. You can use dried dill if you don’t have fresh herbs, but fresh herbs are better. Do not use basil on these. You can serve warm or cold. Taste the sauce and a beet. If it’s too sweet, add more vinegar. These should be stored in a glass mason jar and can keep for a week or two. They will be better the second day. The olive oil congeals in the fridge, so it’s best to take these out of the fridge and serve them at room temperature if you remember.