Roasted Sweet Beet Relish

Directions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. For the tomato purée, halve the tomatoes and place them, skin side down, on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the salt, garlic, and olive oil. Roast for 1 hour on the bottom shelf of the oven, then remove. Press through a sieve or pass through a food mill to remove the skins and seeds – you’ll end up with about 1 1/4 cups of intensely flavored purée.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile, put the beets into a baking dish and drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast, above the tomatoes, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (longer if necessary), until the skins are blistered, blackened, and loosened. Let cool a little before peeling. You’ll find the skins will slide off easily. Coarsely grate the beets (a food processor makes this job easy).

3. 3.

   Put the sugar, vinegars, onion, and horseradish into a large saucepan; bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a couple minutes more. Finally, add the grated beets and cook for about 10 minutes, until thickened. Transfer to sterilized jars and seal with vinegar-proof lids (see pp. 21–22). Use within 1 year. Refrigerate once opened.

4. 4.

   It’s easy to pickle horseradish root. Just grate enough fresh root to fill a jam jar, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar, top up with cider vinegar, and seal with a lid. Use in sauces, dressings, and soups, and serve with roast beef.