PICKLED RED ONIONS & WHY YOU NEED THEM IN YOUR LIFE

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Pickling is possibly one of the easiest, most satisfying versions of preserving you can do. It takes minimal time and just a few ingredients. Once in the jar and cooled down, these go right in the refrigerator, skipping the slightly more time consuming canning step you would need to do in order to safely store them at room temperature.

Pickled Red Onions

2 red onions (good sized, this is no time for puny onions)

1 cup of red wine vinegar

1 cup of apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon mixed peppercorns

3 or 4 whole allspice

A few of sprigs of fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme, or any combination of these you like

2 pint size (16 oz.) canning jars

Peel and halve the onions, then cut about an ⅛ of an inch thick. Evenly distribute between 2 freshly washed and dried jars, packing them in fairly tightly along with the peppercorns, allspice and fresh herbs.

Combine both vinegars, sugar and salt in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. As soon as it boils, take off the heat and carefully pour into the jars leaving just a little space at the top. With a wooden spoon, if necessary, press the onions down to fully submerge them in the pickling liquid. Pop the lids on and let them sit on the counter until cooled, then store in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Over the weekend these topped off sautéed mushroom and mushroom brie (yeah you read that right, mushroom brie) turkey burgers on brioche. Delicious! Pickled anything adds that little extra zing, and these pickled red onions are no exception. Pile them on sandwiches, grilled steak, pizza, tacos, add them to all different kinds of salads, they’re a great addition to a cheese and charcuterie plate… basically, toss them on anything and everything.

Go pickle some onions, you’ll be glad you did.

HOT & SPICY GARLIC DILL PICKLES

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Nothing screams summer more than pickling and canning fresh fruits and veggies from the garden or the farmers market. It's fun too, and comes along with a nice sense of accomplishment looking at all the pretty jars of preserved goods when you're done. Since these pickles are not processed to be shelf stable, they're so very easy, and fast to make. When you're done, and the jars have cooled they go right in the fridge. Easy, no fuss!

First things first, go to your garden, farmers market, farm stand, whatever, and get some pickling cucumbers. I like Kirby's but you can use others, just keep them on the smaller side. By the way, you can make these year round using Persian cucumbers or any other smaller variety. You can also cut them into rounds/chips if spears aren't your thing. You'll need 3 pint-sized canning jars with lids. 

Hot & Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles

10 or 11 pickling cucumbers (I like Kirby's, but you know that already)

3 pint-sized canning jars with lids

1 ½ cups cider vinegar

1 ½ cups water

2 tablespoons pickling salt

9 garlic cloves, lightly smashed (3 per jar)

1 bunch of fresh dill (divide between the jars)

1 teaspoon peppercorns per jar (mixed colors)

4 to 5 whole allspice per jar

6 to 9 hot chili peppers, like Fresno or Thai, 2 to 3 per jar (2 if they're big, 3 if they're small, you get the idea)

• Wash, dry and cut the cucumbers into spears

• Rinse and dry dill

• Wash and dry chilis, making a slit down the side of each one

• Peel and lightly smash the garlic cloves

Tightly pack the cucumber spears into the jars with dill, garlic and chilis. Top with peppercorns and allspice. In a sauce pan, combine the cider vinegar, water and pickling salt, stirring to dissolve the salt. Bring to a boil. Yes, your house is going to smell like vinegar for awhile but it's worth it. Take the brine off the heat and carefully pour into the jars, filling nearly to the rim. Let the jars cool on the counter while you gaze admiringly at your handiwork. Once they're cool, pop them in the refrigerator and try to forget about them for a couple weeks because it takes some time for the flavors to get into the pickles. Also, the heat from the peppers builds over time, and that's a good thing. Pat yourself on the back, you just made some hot and spicy pickles!