ROASTED BEETS WITH PICKLED EGGS & MUSTARD SEEDS

SERVES 4

MY GRANDMOTHER IN INDIANA always made pickled eggs, and I grew up thinking that was her special magic. The pickling liquid is what I use to make thinly sliced beet pickles, too. I like to pickle the mustard seeds separately, in a bit of the same pickling liquid without the beet, so they won’t turn red. They’ll stay fresh for months, refrigerated in the pickling liquid.

For the eggs, hard-boil and peel 2 eggs and place in a wide bowl. Make a red pickling liquid: Chop 1 raw beet. Combine with ¾ cup rice wine vinegar, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Strain the pickling liquid over the eggs and cover with a plate so they stay submerged. After the mixture cools to room temperature, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Transfer the eggs and liquid to a container, cover, and refrigerate. To serve, thickly slice the roasted beet, halve the eggs, and top both with the separately pickled mustard seeds.