Spicy pickled onions

I always thought life was too short to pickle onions, but it turns out that it’s one of the easiest things you can do. Sure, peeling the onions is a bit of a drag, but it’s a mindless/mindful task you can do while you chat to someone or listen to a podcast. The really hard bit is waiting a couple of weeks for the onions to pickle, but the results are worth it.

Ingredients

750 g	Pickling onions (Main)
3 Tbsp	Salt
1 Tbsp	Coriander seeds
1 Tbsp	Whole peppercorns, preferably a mix of black, white and green or red
3 cups	Malt vinegar
3 Tbsp	Brown sugar
3	Chillies
3 cloves	Garlic, peeled
3	Fresh bay leaves

Directions

1. A day before you plan to pickle, peel the onions and trim off any hairy bits. Put the onions in a large bowl and sprinkle over the salt. Cover with cold water and set a plate on top to keep the onions submerged. Leave in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
2. You can make the pickling liquor at any stage while the onions are soaking, as long as it has time to completely cool.
3. Set a pot over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds and peppercorns and toast for a few minutes. Carefully pour in the vinegar, followed by the brown sugar, chillies, garlic and bay leaves. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and pour into a jug. Allow to cool completely.
4. After the onions have steeped, drain them well and rinse under the cold tap. Dry the onions with a clean tea towel and pack them tightly into sterilised jars. Pour over the vinegar mixture, distributing the chillies, garlic cloves and bay leaves between the jars. Screw on the lids tightly and leave in a cool, dark place for at least two weeks before eating. Store opened jars in the fridge.