Pickled Onions
Choose small, evenly sized onions (Not the Silver skin Variety; choose ordinary “pickling onions). Peel and place in a suitable ceramic container and cover with a ‘Brine” solution made from 8 oz (200 gm) salt dissolved in 2 quarts (2300 ml) water. Allow to stand for 24 hours. Drain well and rinse off surplus salt solution. Do not over rinse. Pack into jars, which have been washed, rinsed and heated in an oven at 150’C (Gas Regolo 3) to dry and sterilise. Cover with Spiced Vinegar and seal. Keep in a cool dry place for 3 to 4 months before use.
NB. Kilner Jars or Screw Top jars with acid proof lids, i.e. Recycled Pickle jars are suitable containers.
Notes on Brine Treatment: Vegetables like Onions, Courgettes and Cucumber contain a large amount of water. By covering with a Brine solution the water is removed from the vegetables by Osmosis leaving the vegetables less water to pass into the pickling vinegar to reduce the acidity and subsequent keeping properties. This improves the keeping quality of the onions and will allow them to be kept in good condition for long periods, i.e. in excess of six months.
Variations: The standard onions and vinegar recipe can be varied to make onions with a stronger “bite” or alter the sweetness. For stronger and more spiced onions add one or two dried Chilli peppers between two or three layers of onions as they are packed. Sweet Pickled Onions can be made by adding Castor Sugar to the spiced vinegar at the rate of 2-oz (50 gm) per 2 pints (1.150 ml) vinegar. Some people like to use caramelised vinegar (Brown coloured) and this will cause some of the caramel colouring to stain the onions. This doesn’t alter the taste but is purely an aesthetic thing.
Source: "Ted"
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