Quick-Pickled Onions

Farmers markets still feature beautiful red onions, although yellow or white onions will work in this recipe as far as taste goes but will lack the pretty pink color that develops with the quick pickling of red onions.  This easy-to-make condiment enhances any dish.

When a friend gifted me with a bag of red onions, I made a few jars of quick-pickled red onions.  This recipe fills one pint jar.  I do not have any pickling jars on hand, but I do have a collection of pickle jars because I love one particular brand of bread-and-butter pickles and always have some in the fridge.  When a jar is empty, I boil it in water to cover to remove the wrap-around label and its glue.  My pantry shelves are filled with these jars in which I store dried items such as split peas and lentils and a supply of different grains.

​1 large red onion,
   sliced as thinly as possible

​Separate onion slices into rings and pack onion rings into a pint-sized jar.

1/2 cup water​

​Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan.

1/2 cup vinegar,
   all of one kind or a blend
   of white and apple cider
​

​Stir; bring almost to a boil; pour hot liquid over onions.
Using a narrow knife, stir liquid to remove bubbles.

​1-1/2 tablespoons of your
   choice of sweetener, e.g.,
   maple syrup, honey, sugar
 
1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt

​Let jar cool on kitchen counter.
 
Cover jar and refrigerate until time to serve onions on burgers, sandwiches, salads, tacos, burritos, or on any dish that would be improved by a zippy addition.

Note:  This recipe can be jazzed up with the addition of an assortment of flavorings, e.g., red pepper flakes, peppercorns, chopped fresh garlic, a bay leaf, or chopped fresh herbs, but it tastes just fine as it is.  Covered, this condiment will keep a few weeks in refrigerator, but you will probably use it up quicker as you will find yourself adding it to everything.

EnJOY