Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 2 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

　　6 medium beets (2 1/4 lb with greens), trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached

　　1 1/4 cups cider vinegar

　　6 tablespoons water

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　1 tablespoon mustard seeds

　　1 teaspoon whole allspice

　　1 teaspoon cumin seeds

　　2 small red onions, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges

　　1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425°F.

　　

Step 2

Wrap beets tightly in foil to make 2 packages and roast in middle of oven until tender, about 1 1/4hours.

　　

Step 3

While beets roast, simmer vinegar, water, sugar, and spices, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Add onions and simmer, stirring, 2 minutes. Pour pickled onions with liquid and spices into a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, to room temperature.

　　

Step 4

Unwrap beets and, when just cool enough to handle, slip off skins and remove stems. Cut beets into 1/2-inch-thick wedges and transfer to a serving bowl with tomatoes. Drain pickled onions in a sieve set over another bowl and discard allspice. Add onions (with remaining spices) and 2 tablespoons pickling liquid to beets and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　Pickled onions can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Salad can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.