Pucker Power - Red Onion Pickles

Anything pickled rules! 

These red onions are super yummy. They are great in salads, on hamburgers, smoked trout, and take the Cowbell's ham & cheddar biscuit sandwich up to a divine taste level sensation. 

So easy to make and don't you just love canning jars. Check out Weck Jars, very trendy at the moment.

Red Onion Pickles

makes 2 pints

1 pound red onions

brine:

3 C distilled white vinegar

1 1/2 C sugar

1 cinnamon stick, broke into a few pieces

a few whole cloves

a few allspice berries

a small dried chili or chili flakes to taste

a start anise pod, optional

2 bay leaves

a few black peppercorns

Combine the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, chili, star anise, if using, the bay leaves and peppercorns in a 4 quart saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand to allow the spices to infuse the brine.

Peel the onion, trim the ends, and slice 3/8 inch thick. Separate into rings discarding any green sprouts.

Uncover the brine and bring to boil over high heat. Immediately add about 1/3 of the onions and stir them under. They will turn hot pink. As soon as the brine begins to simmer around the edges stir again and take off heat. Remove onions with slotted spoon and spread on sheet pan to cool. Repeat process. The onions will be firm.

Repeat process. This guarantees the onions color will set and will be crunchy. If you just simmer them in the brine they become soft and dull, :(

Place in your fashionably trendy canning jars & cover with the brine juice then refrigerate.

Happy pickling!!!!!  Don't forget this weekend is the Design House unveiling, get inspired!!!!!

Cher

SOUPS FOR THE WEEKEND:

Local potato artichoke

local sausage, white bean & kale

GOODIES:

local buttermilk lemon blackberry cake

snickerdoddles

local rustic apple tarts

almond coffee cake

Don't forget to try the onions on the biscuit sandwich!

P.S. big news.....my coffee brewer is finally up and running, Counter Culture coffee is the BEST! We will be featuring the organic Farmhouse blend. This current version, it changes with the season, is comprised with 40% El Gavilan from Quilanga, Ecuador and 60% La Frontera from Jaen, Peru. This coffee blend character is revealed by a light roast that allows us to taste the fresh fruit and floral notes and pungent cocoa. WOW....