Homemade Pickled Onions

Homemade Pickled Onions - Photo by JayDi Photography

Ah condiments! I'm always looking for something different to add a pop of flavour to everyday dishes.  Sometimes, ok, most times, simplest is best.  Who doesn't like pickles? But have you tried pickled onions? What a refreshing punch of acid when you need it.  I stumbled upon this little gem of a recipe and knew I had to try it.  I found it remarkably easy to make since I had all the ingredients already in my pantry: onions, vinegar, spices, salt and sugar.   Man oh man, my next burgers, tacos and breakfast burritos are going to taste awesome!

You could use any onion to make this: yellow, sweet, vidalia, but I'll stick to red, I think.  There's a pretty awesome reaction that happens to the red onions when they sit in the brine - they become a bright pink colour. What a sharp contrast it makes to any dish!

Here again, you can play with the spices to change the flavour profile.  You could add any combination of the following: cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, crushed red pepper flakes, whole garlic, star anise, bay leaf, mustard seeds, fresh ginger slices, fennel seeds, coriander seeds or cumin seeds.

This recipe has inspired me so much that I think I may even try this simple brine for cauliflower in the near future. A touch of turmeric with any of those spices would probably make a spectacular dish.  Stay tuned!

Homemade Pickled Onions

Yield: 3 cups ( 8 to 10 servings as a side dish)

Ingredients

2 medium red onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup  sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Add sliced onions to a medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over onions so that they are covered. Count to 10 then drain. Add onions to glass jars or a bowl.
2. Toast cinnamon, cloves and the red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Whisk in vinegar, lime juice, a 1/4 cup of the sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar and salt have dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste for sweetness then add more sugar as needed. Pour brine over onions
4. Allow to stand at room temperature until cooled, cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks