Bluegreen's Beetroot Sheet.

Pickled Beetroot

5-6 beetroot
salt
water
1 cup malt vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 bay leaf 2 whole cloves
4 peppercorns

Cook beetroot in salted water until tender, about 45 minutes.
Combine remaining ingredients in another saucepan, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Cool.
Peel beetroot, leave whole or slice as desired, and pack into hot sterilised jars.
Strain vinegar mixture, pour over beetroot.
Seal.

For Jellied Beetroot, prepare as above, and cut the beetroot into large dice.
Arrange in an oiled bowl or mould, about 3 cup capacity.
Take 1 cup of the pickling liquid, add 1 tablespoon gelatine and stir over low heat until gelatine dissolves.
Pour over beetroot.
Refrigerate until set, then unmould carefully.

Spiced Pickled Beetroot
2kg beetroot
5cm piece fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
12 whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
4 dried bird’s eye chillies
3 cups white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon coarse cooking salt
1 1/2 cups sugar

Choose small or medium-sized beetroot and have them of uniform size if possible.
Leave 2cm stalks on cover with water and add about 2 teaspoons salt.
Cover, bring to the boil and boil gently for 40-50 minutes or until just tender.
Cool, drain and remove skins and top, trim bases.
Leave whole if small, quarter, slice or dice medium-sized beetroot.
Pack into cold sterilized jars.
Wash the ginger, do not peel.
Place on a board and hit with a cleaver or mallet to bruise.
Tie in a piece of muslin.
Tie spices in another piece of muslin.
Put vinegar, salt and sugar into a stainless steel saucepan and stir over heat until sugar is dissolved.
Add flavouring bag, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Remove bags and pour boiling hot vinegar slowly over beetroot to cover completely.
Seal when cold with sterilised lids, preferably plastic.
Store in a cool, dark place and leave for 3-4 days before using.

Pickling Vinegar (this is the recipe I've always used)
1 litre white vinegar
1 cup sugar (or less to taste)
1 teaspoon salt

Mix ingredients together and bring to the boil.
Add any spices, such as peppercorns, cloves, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon mixed spice and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
If you add the spices, let mixture boil for an extra 10 minutes.
Strain and allow to cool before use. (Never use iodised salt for pickling, use plain salt, sea salt or pickling salt.)
Before pickling, vegetables should be left to stand in a brine solution of about 3-5% salt to water. Use jars with plastic or glass lids instead of metal, unless lids are protected from acid reaction with several layers of greaseproof paper.
Vegetables suitable for pickling are: beetroot, cabbage, cucumber, onions, peas, shallots, red cabbage, walnuts, zucchini.