This is a good way to deal with tough beetroot that has been left in the ground for too long. It is steamed for a while to tenderise and then munched up in the food processor. Goes really well with the ham at Christmas.

BEETROOT RELISH

Ingredients

• 500g beetroot, roasted/steamed/boiled until tender – instructions below
• 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 tbs light olive oil
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 3/4 cup water – add it as needed while cooking
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp salt

Method

Prepare the beetroot

1. Wash the beetroot and remove the top and base, no need to remove the skin, it comes off easliy after cooking. If large chop into large chunks. Cook in a steam oven at 100% steam at 100C until fork tender, about 2 hours. Alternately bake at 100C in  a foil covered tray with a half cup of water to create steam or slow boil in a saucepan with a lid until fork tender.
2. Slide the peel off when cool. Beetroot can be left in the oven overnight to cool and then peeled the next morning. Be warned your fingers will go red so consider wearing gloves.
3. When cooled pulse to fine chunks in a food processor. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

The pickle

1. Heat a saucepan to a medium/hot heat, no oil, add the mustard seeds and shake until they are toasted and beginning to pop.
2. Turn down the temperature a little and add the oil and the onion, stir until transparent.
3. Add the sugar, allspice, cinnamon, vinegar, salt and beetroot and stir to combine and continue to simmer so the flavours blend, about half an hour. Add the water gradually, as needed.

Bottling

1. 1. To prepare the preserving jars, preheat oven to 180C and place jars and heatproof lid in the oven for 10 minutes.
   2. Ladle the relish into the jars while the beetroot and jars are hot. Wipe the top of each jar and place the lid on very tightly. Leave the jars to cool, the lid should pop down.