Name: Pickled Beets with Orange and Rosemary
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: 4 pounds beets , 2 bunches, greens removed and reserved for another use, leaving a 1-inch beet top; beets washed thoroughly; 1/2 cup sweet vermouth; 2/3 cup red wine; 1/4 cup cider vinegar; 1/4 cup honey or brown sugar; 1 teaspoon whole cloves; 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick , ground; 1 sprig fresh rosemary , medium; 2 orange slices , 1/4-inch thick, seeds removed; Salt and ground black pepper

Why This Recipe Works

In looking for the best beet recipes, we paid special attention to minimizing "bleeding.” We also wanted to find beet recipes that would showcase the vegetable’s intense flavor. We found that steaming produced beets moist enough to use in any recipe. It also minimized bleeding and concentrated flavor in much the same way that roasting did. Foil-wrapped roasted beets were more moist than unwrapped roasted beets, but the latter had more flavor. Whatever the cooking method, we minimized bleeding by not peeling the skin and by not slicing off the tops of the beets prior to cooking.

Before You Begin

Use small beets, about the size of a golf ball, if available. Bigger beets should be quartered or sliced after steaming. This recipe can be refrigerated up to 1 month.

Instructions

Place beets in steamer basket set in large saucepan with 1 inch of water. Bring to boil; steam over high heat until beets can easily be pierced with thin knife, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on beet size. Drain, cool slightly, and remove skins. Place beets in medium bowl.

In a medium saucepan, bring vermouth, wine, vinegar, honey, cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, and orange slices to a boil; simmer to blend flavors, about 3 minutes; add salt and pepper to taste, then pour mixture over beets. Cool to room temperature, cover, then refrigerate until ready to serve.