The novelty of cooking beets in gin was what drew me to this recipe. I did not have much experience with this spirit before taking a bartending class a few years back. Gin is a distilled alcohol dating back to the 17th century. It is made from juniper berries and originated as a medicinal liquor made by monks and alchemists across Europe. Today, it is flavored with a wide range of herbal, spice, floral, or fruit ingredients in addition to the juniper berries. This is the first time I have used gin in something other than a mixed drink.

The beet was cultivated around 2,000 BC in the Mediterranean region. The Greeks used beets primarily as a medicinal plant to treat pain. The ancient Romans were the first to cultivate beets as food. The value of beets grew in the 19th century when it was discovered that they were a concentrated source of sugar. All parts of the plant are edible. The leading commercial producers of beets today include the United States and the Russian Federation, as well as France, Poland, and Germany.

Enough history & background, now for the recipe!

Gin-Infused Beets

Gin-Infused Beets (adapted from realsimple.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour + 30 minutes, Hands-On Time: 25 minutes, Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dry gin
• 2-1/2 pounds small to medium red beets, trimmed and halved
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 2 Jewish rye bread slices, torn into pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, roughly chopped

Directions:

Place the gin in a large pot with a lid and 1/4 cup water. Add the beets, juniper berries, peppercorns, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to the pot, stirring to combine. Partially cover the pot and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the beets are tender, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Let it cool, covered, for about 15 minutes. Remove the beets and discard the remaining mixture in the pot. Rub the skins off of the beets using paper towels. Cut the beets into wedges.

Cook the beets

While the beets cool, pulse the bread pieces in a food processor until coarse crumbs form, 5 or 6 times. About 1 cup of bread crumbs is needed.

Turn the bread slices into bread crumbs.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the coriander and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and toss to coat. Cook, stirring often, until the crumbs are golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season them with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Cook the bread crumbs with the seasonings.

Spread the sour cream on the bottom of a platter or large plate.

Spread the sour cream on a platter and top with the beets.

Top the sour cream with the beets, then add the bread crumbs, and dill. Serve.

Serve the beets with the crumbs and dill sprinkled on top.

Beets are gin pair together well! ~Linda

Gin-Infused Beets (adapted from realsimple.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour + 30 minutes, Hands-On Time: 25 minutes, Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dry gin
• 2-1/2 pounds small to medium red beets, trimmed and halved
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 2 Jewish rye bread slices, torn into pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, roughly chopped

Directions:

Place the gin in a large pot with a lid and 1/4 cup water. Add the beets, juniper berries, peppercorns, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to the pot, stirring to combine. Partially cover the pot and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the beets are tender, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Let it cool, covered, for about 15 minutes. Remove the beets and discard the remaining mixture in the pot. Rub the skins off of the beets using paper towels. Cut the beets into wedges.

While the beets cool, pulse the bread pieces in a food processor until coarse crumbs form, 5 or 6 times. About 1 cup of bread crumbs is needed.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the coriander and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and toss to coat. Cook, stirring often, until the crumbs are golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season them with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Spread the sour cream on the bottom of a platter or large plate. Top it with the beets, then the bread crumbs, and dill. Serve.