• 8 to 10 medium red beets
• 1¼ cups (300 ml) white wine vinegar
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (150 ml) dry white wine
• 6 tablespoons (75 g) sugar
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• ½ tablespoon chile flakes (or to taste)
• 4 whole cloves
• 6 bay leaves (preferably fresh)

Go easy on yourself. Serve a charcuterie platter from the finest butcher in your neighborhood as an appetizer (or the terrine) and serve some preserved beets alongside. That way it’s still a bit “home made.”

This quantity will last you through all of December.

Cook the beets in a large saucepan of water for about 45 minutes, until tender. Drain and peel. Cut into wedges and place in a large stainless-steel bowl or in glass canning jars.

Heat the vinegar, wine, 1 cup (250 ml) water, the sugar, and salt in a saucepan and add the coriander seeds, mustard seeds, chile flakes, cloves, and bay leaves. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then pour the mixture over the beets.

Let cool and transfer to sterile jars. Place in the fridge for at least a day, and preferably for about 4 days, to let the flavors develop.

If well covered, you can keep the beets for a month to a month and a half.