Sweet pickled onions
A step away from traditional pickled onions, these lightly sweet onions or shallots are appetisingly succulent. Serve as an antipasti or hors d’oeuvres with platters of charcuterie meats and/or cheese, or sauté in a frying pan until well caramelised to serve with sausages or lamb cutlets.
For this recipe you will need two 500ml/18fl oz sterilised jars. For information on sterilising see the Recipe Tips.
Ingredients
- 1kg/2lb 4oz small pickling onions or shallots
- 125ml/4fl oz white wine vinegar
- 125ml/4fl oz balsamic vinegar
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú demerara sugar
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 4 strips pared orange peel (strips of orange peel with no pith)
- 1–2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp pink peppercorns
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 sprigs rosemary or thyme
Method
Using a pair of scissors, snip the top and bottoms off the onions or shallots then put in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 3–4 minutes, then drain. When cool enough to handle, peel the onions or shallots. After peeling, cut a small cross into the root end – this helps to prevent the centres popping out during cooking.
Put the vinegars, sugar, salt, pared orange peel, fennel seeds, peppercorns and oil in a large saucepan with 350ml/12oz water. Place over a medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer, then add the onions or shallots and cook for 6–7 minutes, or until they are just tender but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, pack the onions into the prepared jars and tuck the orange zest and the rosemary or thyme down the side of the jars.
Return the pan of liquid to the heat and bring to a fast boil for a couple of minutes. Pour the liquid over the shallots and fill the jars to the brim. Seal immediately with vinegar-proof lids. Invert the jars for a minute or so before turning the right way and leaving to cool.
Store in a cool, dark, dry place for up to a year. Keep in the fridge once opened and use within 8 weeks.
Recipe Tips
Prepare your jars and lids shortly before you need them. You can do this by putting them through a hot (60C) dishwasher cycle shortly before you need them (don’t try to dry them with a tea towel, let them air dry) or wash them in hot water then place in an oven preheated to 140C/120C Fan/Gas 1 for 15 minutes (switch off the oven and leave the jars inside until needed). Alternatively, place the jars in a large stock pot with a clean folded cloth or trivet placed on the base, cover the jars completely with cold water and bring to simmering point (90C) for 10 minutes, next remove the pan from the heat and leave the jars in the hot water until you need them. When your preserve is ready, carefully remove the jars from the pan, tipping out the water as you do so – pair of bottling tongs makes this job easy, but otherwise use ordinary tongs.