Quick Pickled Red Onions — Cuisine at Home style

This quick-fix version of pickled red onions, from the latest Cuisine at Home magazine (issue #159, summer 2024), add a burst of flavor to salads (greens, pasta, potato, etc.) tacos, burgers and sandwiches, and, roasted meats. Or use them as a garnish on soups. (I did cut it in half.)

Quick Pickled Red Onions — Cuisine at Home style

1/2 pound red onions, halved & thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup water 

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/4 teaspoon  red pepper flakes 

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns (my addition)

1. Place sliced onions in medium glass, ceramic or stainless steel bowl.
2. Combine vinegar, water and all the remaining ingredients in a small nonreactive saucepan (not aluminum), and bring to a toil over medium-high heat. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Pour hot vinegar mixture over onion slices. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Transfer to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month. 

Pickled Onions

Great on brats, pulled pork or an addition to other  sandwiches.

Pickled Onions 

Brine

1 cup cider vinegar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 red onion, thinly sliced 

1. Combine brine ingredients and heat in the microwave or on stop top; bring to a boil, making sure honey and salt are dissolved.
2. Place sliced onions in a bowl. Pour hot brine over them and let stand for a hour. 
3. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate. Can remain in fridge for up to 2 weeks 

Chai Tea Concentrate for Hot Tea, Chai Latte, hot or cold

I have a weakness for Chai Tea Lattes, both hot and iced.  With a few whole spices and a little time, I now have a batch of concentrate ready to mix up in just minutes to satisfy my Chai Tea cravings!



Chai Tea Concentrate      Makes about 3 1/2 cups
12 cardamom pods, gently crushed
8 whole black peppercorns
8 whole cloves
4" piece of fresh ginger, cut into slices
4 cinnamon sticks
3 whole allspice
4 tablespoons brown sugar (more or less to taste)
2 star anise
1 vanilla bean, sliced down the middle
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
4 cups water
4 black tea bags

1. Bring all ingredients, except tea bags, to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

   

   Spices in saucepan.

   

   Water added to spices. 

   

   Mixture after being simmered for 15 minutes.

2. Turn off heat, add tea bags, cover again and allow to steep for about 8 minutes.
   
3. Pour mixture through a strainer to remove spices. 
   
4. Allow concentrated tea to cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator.
   

To use concentrate: Mix equal amounts of concentrate and milk (for hot or iced Chai Tea Latte, or water for Chai Tea).

Recipe without photos . . .
Chai Tea Concentrate      Makes about 3 1/2 cups
12 cardamom pods, gently crushed
8 whole black peppercorns
8 whole cloves
4" piece of fresh ginger, cut into slices
4 cinnamon sticks
3 whole allspice
4 tablespoons brown sugar (more or less to taste)
2 star anise
1 vanilla bean, sliced down the middle
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
4 cups water
4 black tea bags

1. Bring all ingredients, except tea bags, to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
   
2. Turn off heat, add tea bags, cover again and allow to steep for about 8 minutes.
3. Pour mixture through a strainer to remove spices. 
4. Allow concentrated tea to cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator.

To use concentrate: Mix equal amounts of concentrate and milk (for hot or iced Chai Tea Latte, or water for Chai Tea).

Pickle a Peck of Dill Okra

After removing the jars from the canner, they
are placed on a cooling rack.

   Pickled Okra is a nice addition to a relish tray, great to set out at a cocktail party, a wonderful veggie addition to a Bloody Mary bar, and it makes great stocking stuffers! That’s right – I did say “stocking stuffers.”

     When our nephews, Daelyn and Jeremy West, were young they loved the stuff so their grandmother, Fern West, always made a point of canning lots of jars, and she always saved a few to add to their stockings each year. And, yes, she easily pickled a peck, or more, of dill okra each summer (a peck is equal to a quarter of a bushel = 8 US quarts or 8.81 liters). Pickled okra certainly recalls fond memories in the West family.

     All pickled okra recipes follow a standard format and although this one varies slightly from Fern’s Dill Okra, it is basically the same with a few additions (peppercorns & mustard seeds). Although okra is what is termed a “low-acid” veggie, the addition of vinegar makes it suitable for the water-bath canning method.   

      For detailed instructions and guidelines for safe home canning, from jar sterilization to choosing the right canning method (water bath vs. pressure cooking) to testing jar seals, go to the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving.

Pickled Dill Okra   Yield: 4 pint-sized jars

2 pounds young, small to medium okra pods

4 small dried chiles, split in 1/2

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

4 sprigs fresh dill or about 4+ teaspoons dried dill weed (or use dill seeds)

4 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

¼  cup kosher salt

2 cups white or rice wine vinegar (rice wine is a bit milder & sweeter)

2 cups water

1. Wash the okra and trim the stems so that just about ½” of the stem is left.

2.  Place 1 chili, 2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 sprigs of dill, 1 garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns in the bottom of each of 4 sterilized pint canning jars.

3.  Divide the okra evenly among the 4 jars, standing them up vertically, alternating stems up and down.

Jar on the right has been filled with the flavorings; cleaned & trimmed okra
has been added to the one of the left.

4.  In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, bring the salt, vinegar and water to a boil. Once boiling, pour this brining mixture over the okra in the jars, leaving ½ ” headspace between the top of the liquid and the lid. Remove air bubbles by running a knife down the edges of the jar. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Screw bands onto jars. Note: Any leftover brine can be refrigerated and used in the next batch.

Jars have been filled with the "brine" and are ready for the
addition of lids and screw tops. 

5.  Process using the water-bath method: Pints jars: 10 min. @ 0-1,000 ft. / 15 min. @ 1,001-6,000 ft.  / 20 min. above 6,000 ft.. 

Jars are ready to be lowered into the boiling water. Since this recipe makes only 4 pints, I am also processing a  batch of pickle relish at the same time in order the conserve fuel and energy.