Cwikla
Cwikla is a traditional Polish pickled beet relish with horseradish, cloves, and vinegar. A staple on the Easter and Christmas table.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
5 minREADY
1 daysCwikla (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.
Ingredients
Directions
Layer beets in a glass or earthenware bowl, sprinkling layers with horseradish and cloves.
Boil vinegar with sugar and salt 2 minutes. Pour over the beets. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
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