If any vegetable can vie for the title of “America’s most underrated vegetable,” it would be the “humble” beet. You rarely see them in restaurants nowadays, as a side dish or even as a garnish. Yet pickled beets are as ubiquitous across Scandinavia as marinated cucumbers, and for good reason. As “winter” vegetables, beets keep well for long periods of time in cool conditions, providing a valuable source of healthy antioxidants when summer vegetables are unavailable. And when pickled, both their vibrant red color and their natural sweetness is enhanced; superior as pickles when served alone, they also contribute color, flavor, and a refreshing crispness to herring salads, Swedish hamburgers (Biff à la Lindström), and open-faced sandwiches (in Danish, smørrebrød). You just can’t beat beets!

Pickled beets image ©2008 Kari Diehl, licensed to About.com.