Another one of those things from the “I love to treat vegetables as something other than a vegetable” files. Here beets get turned into a sweet instead of a sauce, although you would use this where you might use sauce, as an accompaniment to meats or duck.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch of beets, peeled
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ tablespoon black peppercorns, dry fried until very fragrant
1 teaspoon fennel seed
10 cardamom seeds (seeds, not pods!)
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt (a little bit)
METHOD:
Put the beets and sugar into a pan that holds the beets snugly with the pepper corns and cover with water. Cook beets gently until just done through, then remove from the water, reserving the pan liquid.
Cut up the beets into ½ inch pieces. Tie up the fennel, cardamom, and thyme into a sachet and put into the beet liquid. Add the red wine vinegar and a touch of salt. Return the beets to the pot and simmer gently, stirring with a wooden spatula or spoon frequently until the beets are really tender, and some are even breaking down. Taste the cooking liquid, and when the cardamom is noticeable, remove the sachet and discard.
Continue to cook the beets until the liquid is reduced and the contents of the pan resemble a loose jam. The peppercorns should be fairly tender with not a lot of heat. Transfer the jammishness to a jar and refrigerate.
Use cool, at room temp, or heated gently.
Chef’s Notes: Try this with sautéed duck breast or confit legs. This would be good with roast or braised pork, or a brisket or ham. Serve with smoked salmon and bagels.
Yield: 2-3 cups
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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