The recipe could hardly be simpler or the results more delicious. Beets’ natural sweetness complements the pickling solution’s natural tartness. Use medium-size, tender young Formanovas fresh from the farmers’ market, if you can find them, or any red beet if you can’t. Formanovas are especially nice because slicing down their long cylinders yields many same-size slices from one root.

SERVINGS

Makes 1 quart

INGREDIENTS

4 or 5 young red beets, washed and trimmed

1 medium onion, sliced thin and separated into rings

1/2 cinnamon stick

3 whole cloves

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

INGREDIENTS

1.    In a large pot, place a steamer basket and an inch or two of water, and add the whole beets. Steam the beets for about 40 to 60 minutes, adding more water as it evaporates. When the beets are tender but not mushy, remove them from the heat and let them cool so they can be handled, then peel. Strain and reserve the liquor from the bottom of the steamer. Slice the beets into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.

2.    Place the beets, onion, cinnamon, and cloves in a 1-quart Mason jar. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, and 1 cup of the beet-steaming liquor (add water to make 1 cup if you don’t have enough). Heat over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves, then pour the liquid over the beets and onion rings. If it doesn’t quite cover the vegetables, add more vinegar.

3.    Screw down the jar lid to the point where the ring just begins to become tight but there’s still the tiniest bit of play, and process in a boiling-water bath for 30 minutes, according to standard directions for canning acidic foods. Or, if you plan to use them up quickly, simply place the covered jar in the fridge for a day before serving. These pickled beets will keep that way for 2 weeks.