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I’m sure it’s peeling the onions that put people off pickling their own! Pouring boiling water over the onions and leaving them for 5 minutes prior to peeling can make the skins easier to slip off. I add sugar to my onions because I like them slightly sweet, but it’s not essential.

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 2 days for brining

Spicing and filling time: 21/2, hours for vinegar; 10-15 minutes to fill the jars.

Makes about 21/4 lb (1 kg)

• 21/4 lb (1 kg) pickling onions or small shallots
• 125 ml (4 fl oz) sea salt
• 1 quart (1L) water
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar. Preferably unrefined
• 1L (13/4 pints) malt vinegar
• 2 Tbsp pickling spice or coriander seeds

Method

1. Put a small slice from each end of the onions, place them in a bowl, and cover with boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes, then drain the onions and pour in the cold water until cool enough to handle. Slip off the skins.
2. Stir the salt into the water until dissolved, then pour the brine over the onions in a mixing bowl. Put a plate on the onions in the bowl, to stop them bobbing out of the brine. Cover and leave for 48 hours – any less and the onions will be soft; some pickling experts say 3 days, but I find 2 days is right.
3. Place the sugar, vinegar and spice in a covered pan and bring almost to the boil. Stir in to ensure the sugar is dissolved, cover then leave for 2 hours or until the vinegar is cold. Strain to remove the spice.
4. Drain the thoroughly rinse the onions, then pack them tightly into clean pickle jars – really push them in. add enough cold vinegar to cover the onions completely.
5. Seal the jars with screw-top lids, then label. Leave to mature for at least a month before eating.

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