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Simple pickled onions. Fantastic on salads, sandwiches or straight out of the jar. Excellent hangover snack. Just had mine on a tuna melt and I am feeling better already.
Boil about a cup of vinegar with a few T of sugar (1/4-1/3 C?) , a teaspoon or so of salt and whatever spices you wish. I used two whole cloves, about a one inch piece of cinnamon stick, 5-6 black peppercorns and a few red pepper flakes. When the salt and sugar are completely dissolved remove from heat.
Thinly slice one large onion (red are prettier, but screw going to the store today. I had yellow, I made yellow) and if you would like a clove or two of fresh garlic (I like).
You can quickly blanch the onions if you'd like, they stay crisper if you don't, but I don't find it makes that big of a difference. If I do blanch mine I use the vinegar mix instead of water because I am fucking lazy and don't see the point in dirtying an additional pan.
Cram the onions (and garlic if you are using it) in a jar or tupperware or whatever.
Now throw a few ice cubes into the vinegar mix to cool and dilute it a bit. When they are dissolved pour it over the onions, cover them and stick them in the fridge for at least an hour. If you can leave them alone until the next day they are even better, but I don't have the patience for that shit.
You can also substitute pearl onions which are fantastic in martinis or add in different veggies! Young asparagus are great, so are fresh button mushrooms (both must-haves for a good bloody mary), bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, sliced carrots, go crazy! With other veggies I use less sugar, particularly if they are high in sugar (like carrots) or just don't appeal to me when sweetened (mushrooms). With the veggie mixes if you leave the amount of sugar as is and throw in a fresh whole cayenne you will wind up with a terrific hot-sweet mix that will knock your socks off!
Also, with the other vegetables blanching is more important, particularly if they are larger or more dense, so is leaving it sit for at least a day or two before it gets really awesome.
Happy cooking my hungry friends!
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