Bloody Valentine

I have a fun recipe for those who love Bloody Marys & Beets!!

Make some refrigerator pickled beets, use part for garnish and part for a purée for a sweet and spicy treat!

Pickled Beets

Makes two pints of beets (one for hearts other for pieces)

• 3-4 small red beets

• Olive Oil

• 1 cup white vinegar

• 1/2 cup hot water

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 tbls kosher salt

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees, lay cleaned beets, skin still on, on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil. Fold the aluminum foil to create an air tight pouch and bake for 45 minutes. Check with a knife, to see if done, by poking beet, if it goes in with no resistance it is done. Using a towel (paper is fine if you don’t want to ruin a cloth one) and rub off the skin. Slice into 1/2 inch slices, cut 4-6 slices into hearts for garnish, and the rest into chunks.

Make brine by adding all ingredients together, stir till all sugar has dissolved. Place hearts in bottom on the jar and top with chunks till full, put remaining chunks in other jar. Pour over brine till jar is full let cool then cap and keep in refrigerator for at least two days.

Purée the jar full of chunks with brine for top drizzle and skewer hearts for garnish.