Recipe: Quick Pickled Onions & Friends

This is a very versatile condiment – its great added to sandwiches, perks up egg salad, and adds zing to just about anything.  JJ has been known to eat them straight from the jar!  You can also use this formula for peppers, cucumbers – just about any veggies that you can slice thinly and stuff in a jar.  Red onions are the original, but you could also use sweet white onions such as walla wallas or even shallots.  Right now, we have a plethora of little cherry bomb peppers – a tasty combo of heat and sweet – that I’ve added to the onions for an especially addictive combination and beautiful ‘ta boot!  You can remove the seeds & membranes if you want a milder version, or just use bell peppers instead.  You can get super creative with added spices too if you so desire, but I like to keep it pretty stock to make versatile - and easy!

There are 3 kinds of rice wine vinegar (Marukan is one brand) out there and you can choose the variety that is best for you.  Seasoned rice wine vinegar has salt and sugar added to it already – you could possibly omit, or at least reduce the amount of agave added depending on your taste if you have this kicking around in the fridge door.  If you are going out to buy some I’d recommend the “low sodium & sugar” kind, as it is pretty versatile in the kitchen and I use it in place of white vinegar especially for salad dressings (I only use white vinegar for cleaning).  If you are really watching salt and/or sugar intake then I recommend getting plain (unseasoned) rice wine vinegar.  Then you can add salt and sugar in smaller amounts.  I have made a salt-free version of this, but you definitely still need some sweetener to balance the acid. 

Makes 1 Pint, keeps for a week covered in the fridge

Using a mandolin*, food processor or sharp knife, thinly slice

• About 2 cups of your chosen veggies, or whatever will fit tightly packed in the jar
•  E.g. 1 small red onion & a handful of peppers such as cherry bomb or Hungarian wax

Pack the veggies in the pint jar and add

•  Low-sodium rice wine vinegar (or rice wine vinegar of your choosing) to within  ½ inch of the top
•  2 t of agave syrup (or to taste)

Stir/prod to mix – I use a chopstick – and taste the liquid.  The veggies will start to soften almost immediately and give you an idea about the flavor.  Add more vinegar or agave if needed.  Top up with vinegar until all the veggies are covered.  Screw on the lid and put in the fridge and try to leave it for at least 4 hours or overnight before using.  Improves with age and will keep in the fridge for up to a week, put probably won’t last that long.

*A mandolin is a very useful kitchen gadget that is really worth having.  You don’t have to break the bank on a big professional one – Starfrit, Zyless and the like make affordable versions with interchangeable blades.  I think mine was under $15 and they make quick work of slicing.