Mrs Beetons Jams and Preserves Revisited
Pickled Onions
4.55lt (8 pints) Pickling Onions
Salt and Water
Milk
To each 2½lt (4 pints) Vinegar
25g (1oz) Ginger, bruised
25g (1oz) Allspice
25g (1oz) Whole Black Pepper
7g (¼oz) Whole Nutmeg, bruised
7g (¼oz) Mace
8 Cloves
¼ tsp Cayenne
The onions should not be too small, quite dry and ripe.
Wipe off the dirt, but do not pare them.
Make a strong solution of salt and water, into which put the onions.
Change the brine, morning and night, for 3 days.
Save the last brine they were put in.
Remove the outer skin and put them into a saucepan capable of holding them all, as they are always better done together.
Take equal quantities of milk and the last salt and water the onions were in and pour over.
To this add 2 large spoonfuls of salt.
Put them over the heat and watch them very attentively.
Keep constantly turning the onions with a wooden skimmer, those at the bottom to the top and vice versā and let the milk and water run through the holes of the skimmer.
Remember, the onions must never boil, or, if they do, they will be good for nothing and they should be quite transparent.
Keep the onions stirred for a few minutes and in stirring them, be careful not to break them.
Have a colander ready, into which turn the onions to drain, covering them with a cloth to keep in the steam.
Place on a table an old cloth, doubled 2 or 3 times.
Put the onions on it when quite hot and cover with an old piece of blanket.
Cover this closely over them, to keep in the steam.
Allow them to stand until the next day, when they will be quite cold and look yellow and shriveled.
Take off the shriveled skins, then they should be as white as snow.
Put them in a pan.
Make a pickle of vinegar and the remaining ingredients, boiled together.
Pour hot over the onions in the pan.
Cover very closely to keep in all the steam.
Allow them to stand until the following day, until quite cold.
Put them into sterilised jars or bottles with airtight lids and add a tablespoonful of the best olive oil on the top of each jar or bottle.
Seal the jars and allow to stand in a cool place for a month or six weeks, then they will be fit for use.
They should be beautifully white and eat crisp, without the least softness and will keep good many months.
Seasonable from the middle of July to the end of August.
PICKLED ONIONS
487. INGREDIENTS - 1 gallon of pickling onions, salt and water, milk; to each 1/2 gallon of vinegar, 1 oz. of bruised ginger, 1/4 teaspoonful of cayenne, 1 oz. of allspice, 1 oz. of whole black pepper, 1/4 oz. of whole nutmeg bruised, 8 cloves, 1/4 oz. of mace.
Mode - Gather the onions, which should not be too small, when they are quite dry and ripe; wipe off the dirt, but do not pare them; make a strong solution of salt and water, into which put the onions, and change this, morning and night, for 3 days, and save the last brine they were put in. Then take the outside skin off, and put them into a tin saucepan capable of holding them all, as they are always better done together. Now take equal quantities of milk and the last salt and water the onions were in, and pour this to them; to this add 2 large spoonfuls of salt, put them over the fire, and watch them very attentively. Keep constantly turning the onions about with a wooden skimmer, those at the bottom to the top, and vice versā; and let the milk and water run through the holes of the skimmer. Remember, the onions must never boil, or, if they do, they will be good for nothing; and they should be quite transparent. Keep the onions stirred for a few minutes, and, in stirring them, be particular not to break them. Then have ready a pan with a colander, into which turn the onions to drain, covering them with a cloth to keep in the steam. Place on a table an old cloth, 2 or 3 times double; put the onions on it when quite hot, and over them an old piece of blanket; cover this closely over them, to keep in the steam. Let them remain till the next day, when they will be quite cold, and look yellow and shrivelled; take off the shrivelled skins, when they should be as white as snow. Put them in a pan, make a pickle of vinegar and the remaining ingredients, boil all these up, and pour hot over the onions in the pan. Cover very closely to keep in all the steam, and let them stand till the following day, when they will be quite cold. Put them into jars or bottles well bunged, and a tablespoonful of the best olive-oil on the top of each jar or bottle. Tie them down with bladder, and let them stand in a cool place for a month or six weeks, when they will be fit for use. They should be beautifully white, and eat crisp, without the least softness, and will keep good many months.
Seasonable from the middle of July to the end of August.
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