At Cafe Sydney, the season brings a quiet shift toward deeper flavours, richer textures, and produce at its most expressive.

This month, ahead of the launch of our Autumn/Winter menu in May, we celebrate the much-loved and versatile beetroot, with Sarahjane’s recipe for pickling this vibrant, earthy yet subtly sweet root vegetable.

Pickled beetroot is the perfect accompaniment for many dishes, from salads and sides through to richer, more indulgent meat dishes; and you can be sure it will make an appearance on the upcoming menu.

We look forward to sharing it with you soon.

PICKLED BABY BEETROOT

INGREDIENTS
4 Bunches purple baby beetroot
500mls Water
1 L Red wine vinegar
500 gm Brown sugar 
5 pc Star anise 
2 tblsp Juniper Berries
1 Orange peel
Salt to taste

METHOD
– Add liquid, brown sugar, orange peel and spices to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil – allow to infuse.
– Wash and trim the baby beetroots, leaving a short length of stem attached.
– Add baby beetroots to the saucepan. Allow beetroots to cook until tender, remove them from the liquid.
– Pass liquid through a fine sieve – Set aside.
– Allow the beetroots to cool slightly. Carefully peel the beetroots using a paper towel to remove the outer skin.
– In a sterile jar Return the peeled beetroots to the reserved cooking liquid and let them cool completely. Once cooled, store them in the fridge in a sealed container.

Use as desired, chilled or lightly roasted.