Pickled Onions
Cheaper then chips! But they take a longer to prepare - but then they do last longer!
Preparation time: 1 hour + overnight soaking Quantity: Makes 4 large jars Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 kg / 2 & 1/4 lb. pickling onions
2 pints water
120 g/ 4 oz table salt
850 ml / 1 & 1/2 pints malt vinegar
1 tablespoon any sugar or honey
2 dried chillies (optional)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
6 allspice berries
6 black peppercorns
1 - 2 slices fresh ginger - skin on
3 bay or curry leaves
Note - spices are up to the individual, you could omit any of them or replace with other spices. You could use fresh chillies, lime leaves, 5 spice, cinnamon sticks, lemon grass, hard herbs, lavender etc. etc. etc. - Feel free to experiment.
Method
- Peel the onions (you can do this easier by soaking in boiling water for several minutes)
- Bring 2 pints of water to the boil with the salt and stir to dissolve.
- Pour over the onions in a large saucepan or bowl, weigh them down with a plate and a tin of tomatoes!
- Leave in a cool room or garage overnight. (Beware they smell - avoid the living room or bedroom!)
- Meanwhile bring the vinegar to the boil with all the spices, remove from the heat and leave to infuse overnight.
The next day -
- Wash off the onions.
- Place in sterilized jars.
- Pour over the vinegar, removing the chillies, ginger or any herbs and filling to the top, covering all of the onions.
- Cover with a wax disc, seal with the lid.
- Leave in a dark cool place for at least 2 months.