Beetroot / Vinegars cont'd!

[flowerlady]

thought I had better move here from Basics ... :D

My preference when serving beetroot, is to keep it simple, too much spice and season and the delicate flavour of freshly pulled veg is lost. 

Mostly I use Cider vinegar, ( it has extra digestive goodies to add) sugar to taste melted in a little boiling water, then add a tablespoon of freshly chopped Tarragon or even Mint. 

Bottled beetroots - the vinegar needs to be hot to effect a seal. 
Having cooked the beets (I use all the baby beets from thinning) reserve 1/2 pt of cooking fluid, add 12 oz of white wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, 9 oz sugar, 1-1 1/2 tbsp dry mustard (optional) and bring to a boil.     Sprinkle 2 teaspoons dill seeds  over beets in jars pour in the hot vinegar and seal.  The longer you leave them to steep the more the flavour.

Tarragon Vinegar (taken from "Jams, Preserves & Pickles by Rosemary Hume &Muriel Downes)  To 1 pint of Tarragon leaves use 1 1/2pints w.w.vinegar.  Lightly bruise leaves pour over cold vinegar, seal, leave 2-3 weeks.  Next strain through muslin,, bottle and cork tightly.  A branch of tarragon in each bottle makes it look glamorous and also increases the strength the longer you keep it!!

Any kind of herb can be used like this.  Experiment, that the fun of cooking!

Somewhere I have a great recipe for Tarragon Pears.

Spiced vinegar (taken from The Complete Book of Preserving)
to 1 litre vinegar (5%+ acid content) I use white malt 'cos I prefer paler pickles! add 2" piece cinnamon,1 tsp cloves, 2 tsp allspice, 1 tsp blk peppercorns, 1 tsp mustard seed, 2-3 bay leaves. Heat up to boiling, remove straight away, leave to infuse 2-3 hours, strain and bottle.   (best for softer fruits)

The above can be made all cold but you have to leave it to 'stew' for 3 months to get the best flavour.  (best for when crisp veg req'd ie onions.

In both cases sugar can be added when adding the fruit or veg.  Sweeten to your taste.

Good luck, have fun, if I can help some more let me know. ;)

[flowerlady]

[tim]

My all-time favourite is Fannie Farmer's - Boston Cookbook 1949 -

Cover sliced, cooked Beet (Golden, of course!) with Vinegar (Cider, of course!!) boiled with half its measure of light brown Sugar.

[wardy]

Flippin eck I'd never grown beetroot before in my life.  Now I have mountains of it and have to start bottling it and goodness knows what else.  Where will I find time? I'm starting to panic.  I have vegetables all over the house and sheds and loads still out there threatening to overwhelm me.  Now I have to learn about pickling and bottling, blanching and freezing, topping and tailing.  I only wanted to grow a few veg and it's threatening to take over my life.  A darkened room beckons  ;D

I'll know I've really made it as an allotmenteer when I start making picalilli  ;D

[Doris_Pinks]

Thank you Flowerlady and Tim  :-* 
Wardy, join the club!! :o  I even had to get my hands on another freezer this year!!
The ones I love making the most are the chutneys, but none of us really eat chutney in the house, so you go from surplus of veg to surplus of  stuff in jam jars!
At least with your B & B you can get rid of a few lbs of jam! ;D

[Mrs Ava]

You know, pickled beetroot has never appealed to me, not being a fan of vinegar, but I might just make a small sweet vinegared jar and see what I think.  I maybe a convert!

Today I made courgette and roast garlic soup, gooseberry jam and raspberry sauce, and still there are mountains of fruit and veg to be used!  I love it though and have been reading all of my old cookery books for inspirtation!  For supper tonite, courgette boats!  ;D

[tim]

Floating on....?

[wardy]

EJ   If I walk in with another courgette my husband will leave me  ;D

[flowerlady]

a beetroot sea of course - with white sauce!!  My Dad loved hot beetroot with white sauce well pink anyway! :D

Also have great recipe for piccalilli Wardy.  And have just made terrific gooseberry chutney. ;D

DP chutney is usually a big put off to lots of folk because the vinegar factor nearly takes you head off - like most cheap shop stuff.  A softer taste (sweeter) works to enhance whatever it is you are eating. ;)

AND when it comes to making green tomato chutney, well 7th heaven time! 8)

[Mrs Ava]

 ;D

[Beryl]

Beetroot cake anyone?

or how about beetroot sauce - goes well with sticky chocolate pudding or pour over icecream.

Cut a pound of beetroot into tiny cubes. Simmer with 8 ounces of sugar (more if you have sweet tooth) half a pint of orange juice and 4 tablespoons of honey for about an hour or until thick. (and don't count the calories)

Beryl.

[wardy]

Ta Beryl - will have a bash at that  :)   Folks up at the plot make beetroot jelly, eg unsweetened fruit jelly.  Sounds foul but they say it works a treat. 

[flowerlady]

Beryl PLEASE post this in my Food Combination strand in Recipes, it needs an injection of inspiration!!

[Piglottie]

Flowerlady - thanks for all the ideas  :)   Just need to hope and pray that my first ever lot of beetroot actually survives to the pickling stage!