Beetroot Pickle

I have been missing from the blog for a few days, I have not been out to the allotment either. With the nice autumn weather we have been having there were lots of things to catch up on at home.I did get around to making the beetroot pickle though.
I got a simple recipe on vegboxrecipes.co.uk
Up to 2kg of fresh beetroot
1&1/2 litrs vinegar
1 tbsp whole coriander seeds
1tbsp whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
100grm sugar (optional)
What I liked about this method is the beetroot is baked in tinfoil in the oven so any juices that escape can be poured from the foil back into the pickle.
Scrub the beetroot wrap in foil ans bake at 180 c for 2 hours until tender
While they are baking make up the pickle as follows
Put vinegar, coriander,cloves, peppercorns and bayleaf in a large pan,Bring to the boil for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and cover the pan.Leave the flavours to infuse for about 2 hours.Strain before using.If you would like a sweeter pickle add 250 grms sugar before boiling .Stir well to make sure sugar has dissolved.
Baby beets can be left whole and larger ones cut into slices.
Wear rubber gloves or else your hands and nails will look like something from a Hammer horror film!
Put beets into warm jars , bring the pickle mixture to the boil and fill the jars
Seal the jars with a plastic coated lid ( metal would corrode and ruin the pickle)
leave for a few weeks before using and gently shake the jars every week or so to allow flavours to develop.
If this turns out OK and I can eat it,we will sow more beetroot next year and also Coriander as I had some trouble getting whole seeds, as we did not have enough from our 1 plant.I eventually found them and a whole range of other organic foods in the Quay Co Op. See www.quaycoop.com
Guess who got a jar to try first...?