Matthew Pickles Onions
Matthew Jacob has been helping the little dish behind the scenes for a while now—especially on the redesign. While he’s an art director by day, he’s also a great cook, a dabbler in “culinary projects” like baking sourdough or curing bacon, and a great resource for all knowledge related to kitchen tools. I’ve been encouraging him to be a contributer and he’s finally decided to do it. Here he is, putting stuff in jars as he is apt to do….
Pickling is one of those things often not talked about, taken for granted, and even forgotten. That is until you are handed a beautifully dressed plate and there they are on top. From a slow-roasted barbecue taco to a spruce-up version of a side salad, their versatility is unmatched. Much like an embroidered “Mama Knows Best” kitchen plaque, they add a nice tang or sweetness. It’s a flavor only vinegar and sugar can produce.
Often bought at the store, we overlook how easy they are to produce. Quick pickling, the art of fusing a vegetable with a brine is nothing more than baby steps. The rookie cook can produce these and add new flavor into their (sometimes lackluster) creations. People will be thinking you are a pro in now time.
The recipe I used for the brine was adopted by one from Alton Brown.
Pickled Red Onions
3/4 c. white vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
2 bay leaves
4-6 whole allspice berries
4-6 cloves
1 large red onion, peeled and sliced.
Heat the vinegar, sugar, allspice, cloves and bay leaves in a small sauce pan. Once your sugar is dissolved and your vinegar is at a slow boil, add in all of the onions. Start off slowly, stirring, until all of the onions are covered. I like to let my stay on the heat for 1-2 min, until the onions start to soften up. Remove the pan from the heat, and let stand until cool. Transfer all of the onions to a clean container (I use Ball canning jars). Then pour in the brine. Discard any brine that will not fit into your container. Use, save, eat, and enjoy for up to a week or so.*
*Disclosure: I have had batches stay fresh for much longer kept cold in the refrigerator, but for safety reasons we are recommending a week or so.
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That sounds really tasty! I wish I would do more of that kind of thing.
WHO IS THIS GOON AND WHERE ARE HIS KNIFE SKILLS?