Pickling onions is very easy and very fast.Whether you want to dress up an ordinary dish or preserve onions for a later date, they're incredibly versatile.The onion has a bit of acid, sugar and spices.
Step 1: Halve, peel and slice the onion.
After a couple days in the refrigerator, red onions turn pink with their distinctive taste and deep red color.The onions will still take the pickling solution if you slice them to the thickness you prefer.Some people prefer to cut the onions in a full moon, which makes them easy to grab with a fork, while others prefer them smaller, cut them into half moons.
Step 2: Water can be heated over the stove or kettle.
The sliced onion should be submerged in the water.
Step 3: The spices should be toast in a small pot while the water is boiling.
Throw the cloves, cinnamon, chili, and thyme into a pot and toast them over medium-low heat until aromatic, about 3 - 5 minutes.
Step 4: When the water is about to boil, remove it from the heat and add onions.
To strain the water and onions, count to 10.Why don't you cook the onions?The acid zing from onions is removed by boiling them.If you like the zing of raw onions, you don't have to par boil, but a slightly mellow onion makes the juice stand out.
Step 5: Transfer the onions from the sieve to the ice bath to stop them cooking.
After 10 seconds, you can either let the onions rest or remove them.The sulfur compounds will diffuse into the water when onions are left in the ice bath.When onions are done, drain them and put them in a container.
Step 6: The spices should be added with 1/2 cup of sugar and some lime juice.
Turn on the burner to medium high and bring the juice to a boil.Allow for an additional minute.
Step 7: Pickle juice can be removed from the heat and put into a container with onions.
Place the container in the refrigerator.The best time to try the onions is after one day.Store onions in the fridge for a couple of weeks.As they age, red onions will turn pink.
Step 8: Don't forget to enjoy.
Try making your own tortillas, sandwiches with richer cuts of meat, or a stew.
Step 9: Pick out the spices you want for your juice.
The above spices work well together.There are many spices that work well in a liquid for onions.There are just a few fresh garlics.A little goes a long way, but who doesn't like garlic and onion?It is simply divine.There is fresh ginger.It has a distinctive taste.There is a bay leaf.There is a fresh complexity to dried bay leaf.There are fresh herbs.There are many herbs that you can experiment with.The berries have a strong scent.It's fruity, spicy, and complex.The berries give gin its distinctive taste.There is a star anise.It's a great substitute for cloves.There is a mustard seed.The seeds add a bit of smoke to the onions.
Step 10: It's a good idea to eat beets.
If you only have yellow or white onions, but still want that distinctive pink color in them, beets are your friend.They have a red dye that is close to flavorless.Did we mention that they taste great?
Step 11: You can make a traditional English variety of the recipe by grating your onions.
The traditional English approach to preserving onions is to use smaller yellow onions and keep them whole.Instead of apple cider or sherry, malt vinegar is used.Give it a try.