Pickled Red Onions
These onions make a over-the-top side dish and I serve them not just with Mexican food, but with bbq meats and even chopped in potato salad. Reserve any liquid and use it to add tang to cole slaw or chopped vegetable salad.You can vary the seasonings. I used allspice and bay leaves, and sometimes I add a few kernels of black pepper and cloves. But cinnamon sticks and star anise would work, and I’m thinking of experimenting with very thinly sliced cloves of garlic or carrots, for contrast.
- 3/4 cup (180ml) white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons (50g) sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 allspice berries
- 5 whole cloves
- a small, dried chile pepper
- 1 large red onion, peeled, and thinly sliced into rings
- In a small, non-reactive saucepan, heat the vinegar, sugar, salt, seasonings and chile until boiling.
- Add the onion slices and lower heat, then simmer gently for 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Transfer the onions and the liquid into a jar then refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
Storage: The onions will keep for several months, but I find they’re best the week they’re made.