Pickled Onions

My husband and I often eat a big salad for dinner.  The kids aren't too into this idea, so on those nights, I make them grilled cheese or ravioli or warm up leftovers.  A few weeks ago, I made a batch of pickled red onions to use on the salad above (Salad:  Arugula, sprouts, hard boiled egg, green beans and mushrooms).  They were delicious and we also ate them on BBQ beef sandwiches, grilled cheese, and just about everything else we could think of until they were gone.

This recipe is for a quick pickle so you can have decent results in about a half hour but they can also stay in your refrigerator for a couple of weeks.  The original recipe I looked at said they can last several weeks but taste best the first week.  Ours didn't last longer than that!

Pickled Red Onions
1 medium red onion
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup white wine vinegar
5 black peppercorns (optional)
1 small clove garlic (optional)

Start a tea kettle of water and bring it to a boil.  Peel and thinly slice the onion.  Peel and slice the garlic clove in half.

Put the vinegar into the container you will use to store the onions and in the vinegar, dissolve the sugar and salt by stirring.  Add the peppercorns and garlic (if using) or any other flavorings (allspice berries, thyme springs, dried chilis . . . you can do many variations).

Place the red onion slices in a sieve over the sink and pour the boiling water over them (par-blanch).  Let them drain and add them to your container with the vinegar.  Stir or shake to evenly distribute the onions.  Store them in the refrigerator - give it between a half hour and a few hours before serving.