Ingredients:-
(Makes 4 x 250g jars).
1 kg small pickling onions,
1200 ml malt vinegar,
50 g salt,
200 g white sugar,
6 tsp pickling spices,
Or
6 tsp of mixed peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, allspice berries, and crumbled dry bay leaves,
Jars:-
Have 4 x 250 g jars and lids sterilized and ready.
METHOD:-
Place unpeeled onions in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them, leave to steep in the water for 1 min, then tip them into a colander to drain.
Now place the onions into the bowl again and cover them with cold water
Peel the skins off the onions, making a small cut at the root end to ease the skins off.
Once all the onions have been peeled, layer the peeled onions with the salt in a large bowl, cover them with a clean tea towel and leave overnight or up to 24 hours in the salt.
After the wait period, drain and rinse the onions thoroughly, pat them dry and pack them into the clean and sterilised jars.
Make the spiced pickling vinegar: -
Pour the vinegar into a large saucepan and add the sugar and the pickling spices. Bring to the boil, then take the vinegar off the heat immediately, cover with a lid and leave to go cold and infuse for 24 hours.
Pour the vinegar over the onions in the jars, including all the pickling spices, seal the jars and allow to mature for 4 weeks before serving.