pink beet pickled eggs
I once dated a guy who tried to make me feel stupid for wanting to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
He turned to me and said, “oh, you’re not that kind of girl who actually likes Valentine’s Day right?”
In an effort to feel “not like the other girls” I said, “oh yeah, Valentine’s Day is a stupid, made-up holiday.”
And do you know where that guy is now? Gone.
Because I love Valentine’s Day. It’s is a great time of year to pause and reflect on the people in our life that we love — not only significant others, but also friends, family members, pets, and most importantly, ourselves. In the middle of a gloomy February winter, we’re surrounded by pink and red, hearts, flowers, and chocolates. It’s like my dream life!
But because Valentine’s Day is a holiday for the girls, we’ve been told that it’s a stupid holiday — from boyfriends who don’t want to put in that little effort to make us feel special, or from the people (men) who think hating on a holiday about love makes them cooler.
If a man is making you feel stupid for liking Valentine’s day, dump him. Instead, grab your girlfriends, plan a brunch, and make these cute pink beet-pickled eggs. Pair them with avocado toast and champagne. And toast to love, the kind that loves you back.
prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: 20 minutes | chill time: 24 hours
makes: 6 eggs
INGREDIENTS
6 large eggs
1 package pre-cooked beets (or three large cooked beets)
1 cup water
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. + 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
Boil the eggs: Remove eggs from the fridge to come to room-temperature. Fill a medium-sized pot with water, leaving about 2” from the top, and add 1 tbsp. salt. Bring water to a rolling, bubbly boil over high heat, then, using a spoon, carefully drop in each egg, one by one. After the last egg is in, immediately set a timer for 6:30 minutes. While the timer is going, make an ice bath (fill a bowl with ice and cold water). When the timer goes off, immediately remove eggs from the stove, pour out the boiling water, run the eggs under cold water for about 1 minute, and then place eggs in the ice bath until cold.
Make the pickling liquid: in a small saucepot, combine the cooked beets, water, white wine vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, stirring to ensure the sugar has dissolved, and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow to cool for another 5 minutes.
Pickle the eggs: Peel the eggs and place in a heat-proof jar or container (preferably glass). Pour the pickling liquid over the eggs, ensuring they are fully submerged — if the eggs float to the top, add a small plate or another object that will help gently weigh them down so they remain submerged in the liquid. Cover the container, then place in the fridge for 24 hours (any longer will intensify the pickled taste, so if you prefer more of a pickle flavor, you can keep them in the fridge for up to 48 hours).
After 24 hours, drain the pickling liquid from the eggs (you can save it to pickle other veggies, if you like!). You can enjoy immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
