Pickled beetroot - Rødbeder

THE Danes brew some excellent beer, of which the spin-off is good malt vinegar for their pickles.

The Tuborg factory dominates Copenhagen and ranks alongside the Little Mermaid and the Tivoli Gardens on the tourist itinerary.

These Rødbeder are a favourite garnish for the smorebrod, the open sandwiches, which in Denmark are synonymous with its lunch.

Prepare the pickle with fresh young roots available from June to October.

(Makes approximately 2lb/1kg) Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1½-2 hours

Ingredients:

n 2 lb/ 1kg young raw beetroot

n 2 heaped tablespoons sugar

n 1 pint/ 600ml malt vinegar

n 1 teaspoon mustard seed

Utensils: n a large saucepan and n sterilised storage jars

Method:

n Choose whole and firm small roots – they should still be wearing a tuft of fresh leaves.

n Cut off the stalks quite close to the roots, leaving about a half inch or 1cm of stalk attached – this ensures that the root is not cut, which would cause it to ‘bleed’ when boiled. (Cook the leaves as you would cook fresh vegetables.)

n Cover the roots to a depth of one finger with fresh water.

n Bring it to the boil, cover it with a lid and turn down to simmer. The beetroots will be soft in 1½-2 hours – they do take rather a long time.

n When they are cool enough, peel them and pack them into sterilised jars.

n Sprinkle in the sugar and the mustard seed – this keeps the beetroot from going mouldy. Cover with vinegar (you don’t need to scald it first).

n If the beetroots are very large, slice them first. Cover them securely.

n The beetroot will be ready to eat in a week and will keep in a cool larder or the refrigerator all year.