Pickled Beet and Cucumber Salads

• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 10 teaspoons sugar
• 2 pounds small red beets, trimmed
• 2 large English hothouse cucumbers (about 1 pound each), halved lengthwise, seeded, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh chives

1. Stir vinegar, shallots and 6 teaspoons sugar in small bowl to blend.
2. Let marinade stand while preparing vegetables.
3. Cook beets in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 30 minutes; drain.
4. Peel beets.
5. Cut into wedges.
6. Transfer to medium bowl.
7. Toss with 1/2 cup of marinade to coat.
8. Place cucumbers in large bowl.
9. Sprinkle 4 teaspoons sugar over.
10. Toss with remaining marinade.
11. Season salads to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Cover separately and refrigerate 1 day, stirring occasionally.
13. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.
14. Keep refrigerated.)
15. Drain salads separately; return to bowls.
16. Mix half of chives into each salad.
17. Arrange salads on platter and serve.

rice vinegar, shallots, sugar, red beets, hothouse cucumbers, fresh chives

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pickled-beet-and-cucumber-salads-5409 (may not work)