Pickled Onions
Season: September to November: A good pickled onion is perhaps the doyen of the preserves cupboard–but how do you like yours? Crisp or soft, sweet or sour, mildly spiced or chile hot? The beauty of this recipe is that it can be used to make your onions (or shallots) just the way you like them. I like mine sweet, so I use honey in this recipe, but you could dispense with honey or sugar altogether if you like a really sharp pickle. I also go for cider vinegar, rather than the more traditional malt, because the flavor is less aggressive. The blend of spices used here suits me nicely, but you could also use coriander, cumin, or celery seeds–or any other spice you fancy. If you want crisp onions, use cold vinegar; if you like them soft, heat the vinegar first.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 24-ounce jar
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Using scissors, snip the top and the rooty bottom off the onions. Place in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Count steadily to 20 (no more). Drain the onions and plunge into cold water. You will find the skins will peel off easily.
Step 2
Put the peeled onions into a shallow dish. Sprinkle with the salt, cover, and let stand overnight. Meanwhile, pour the vinegar into a pan and add the honey or sugar, ginger, and spices (not the bay leaves). Cover and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to infuse overnight.
Step 3
Strain the spiced vinegar. Rinse the onions in very cold water, then drain and pack into a sterilized jar (see p. 21), adding the bay leaves as you go. Pour in the vinegar (reheating it first if you want softer onions) and seal with a vinegar-proof lid (see p. 22). Let mature for 6 to 8 weeks before using. Use within 1 year.
VARIATION
Step 4
Use shallots instead of onions and 1 1/4 cups each of red wine vinegar and white wine vinegar. Prepare as above, then pack the shallots into the jar along with 1 ounce of sliced fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds, and a couple of fresh mint sprigs.
