Cwikla

Cwikla (pronounced TSVEE-kwah) is one of those Polish staples that shows up at every holiday table, especially Easter and Christmas Eve. Sliced beets get layered with grated horseradish and whole cloves, then doused in a hot vinegar brine sweetened with brown sugar.

After 24 hours in the fridge, you’ve got a tangy, peppery, jewel-toned relish that cuts through rich meats like kielbasa, ham, or roast pork.

It’s barely any work. The beets are already cooked. You boil a brine, pour, and wait. The hardest part is keeping your hands off the jar for a full day.

Kitchen Tips

• Use cooked or canned beets to save time. This is about the pickle, not about roasting beets from scratch.
• Fresh grated horseradish has far more bite than the jarred kind. If using prepared horseradish, double the amount.
• Caraway seed can sub for cloves if you prefer that earthy, Eastern European flavor.
• Keeps well in the fridge for a week or more. The flavor only gets better with time.