Harvard Beets
Harvard Beets is one of those grandma holiday side dishes that’s actually quite delicious, especially if you improve it with a bit of orange marmalade like I did. Based on Jean Trevor’s recipe in the Pi Beta Phi cookbook which I really like because a/it’s simple (unlike most, she does not bother with a double boiler) and b/the beets are diced, exposing more surface area to the delicious sauce. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients:
1 lb red beets, cooked, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 T cornstarch
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c vinegar
2 T butter
1 t orange marmalade (optional, but delicious)
Method: mix the sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan and add vinegar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, till solids are dissolved and the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes or less. Add butter and optional orange marmalade, and stir until butter is melted. Mix in beets and any juice they’ve formed while sitting and allow 30 minutes for the flavors to meld. Reheat to lukewarm before serving.
