pickled beets

slice the tops and bottoms off of the beets and arrange them in a shallow pan.

add whole garlic cloves to the pan.

slice the lemon and orange in half, then squeeze the juice over the beets. add lemon and orange halves to the pan.

pull thyme from stems and sprinkle over beets. add the stems to the pan as well.

season aggressively with salt.

coat the beets with water, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. you want the liquid to be about 1/3 of the way up the pan.

double wrap the pan with aluminum foil, covering tightly.

place pan in the oven at 350 degrees. cook for 60-90 minutes, or until tender. use your cake tester or an opened paper clip to test the tenderness.

once the beets are cooked, peel the skin off. use gloves or an old towel to keep from dyeing your hands.

strain juice from the pan into a dish deep enough to cover your beets, being sure to catch all of the leftover thyme and lemon seeds from the pan. you only want the liquid. taste to see if you need more seasoning.

slice the beets to your desired size, then add to the liquid making sure they are all submerged.

let cool, then cover and refrigerate. they will last for several weeks.

serve with some whipped feta, blackberries, and tarragon.