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Pickled shallots

Serve these pickled shallots with a West Country ploughmans

Pickle this year’s shallot harvest with this handy pickled shallots recipe

  • Shallots or small onions 1kg peeled and trimmed
  • Sea salt 100g
  • Sherry vinegar 225ml
  • White wine vinegar 550ml
  • Allspice berries 8
  • Coriander seeds 2 tsp
  • Yellow mustard seeds 2 tsp
  • Mixed peppercorns 3 tsp
  • White mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Demerara sugar 1 tbsp
  • Dried bay leaves 4
  1. Place the shallots or small onions in a large bowl, mix the salt into 1 litre of hot water, pour over and soak the shallots for 2 days in the fridge. Place a plate on the top of the shallots to submerge in the salted water and cover the bowl.

  2. Sterilise kilner jars by washing in warm soapy water, rinsing and placing in a moderate oven for 5 minutes.

  3. Place the vinegars, spices, sugar and bay leaves in a pan and gently stirring bring to just below the boiling point, making sure all the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat and leave to go completely cold. Drain the shallots from the salted water and pat dry with kitchen towel.

  4. Pack the shallots in the sterilised jars. Pour the vinegar and spices over the shallots. Seal and store in a cool dark place for 1 month to mature. Once opened, store in the refrigerator and use within 1 month.

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FOOD Magazine issue 187

You will need

  • Shallots or small onions 1kg peeled and trimmed
  • Sea salt 100g
  • Sherry vinegar 225ml
  • White wine vinegar 550ml
  • Allspice berries 8
  • Coriander seeds 2 tsp
  • Yellow mustard seeds 2 tsp
  • Mixed peppercorns 3 tsp
  • White mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Demerara sugar 1 tbsp
  • Dried bay leaves 4

Method

  1. Place the shallots or small onions in a large bowl, mix the salt into 1 litre of hot water, pour over and soak the shallots for 2 days in the fridge. Place a plate on the top of the shallots to submerge in the salted water and cover the bowl.

  2. Sterilise kilner jars by washing in warm soapy water, rinsing and placing in a moderate oven for 5 minutes.

  3. Place the vinegars, spices, sugar and bay leaves in a pan and gently stirring bring to just below the boiling point, making sure all the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat and leave to go completely cold. Drain the shallots from the salted water and pat dry with kitchen towel.

  4. Pack the shallots in the sterilised jars. Pour the vinegar and spices over the shallots. Seal and store in a cool dark place for 1 month to mature. Once opened, store in the refrigerator and use within 1 month.

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  • Shallots or small onions 1kg peeled and trimmed
  • Sea salt 100g
  • Sherry vinegar 225ml
  • White wine vinegar 550ml
  • Allspice berries 8
  • Coriander seeds 2 tsp
  • Yellow mustard seeds 2 tsp
  • Mixed peppercorns 3 tsp
  • White mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Demerara sugar 1 tbsp
  • Dried bay leaves 4
  1. Place the shallots or small onions in a large bowl, mix the salt into 1 litre of hot water, pour over and soak the shallots for 2 days in the fridge. Place a plate on the top of the shallots to submerge in the salted water and cover the bowl.

  2. Sterilise kilner jars by washing in warm soapy water, rinsing and placing in a moderate oven for 5 minutes.

  3. Place the vinegars, spices, sugar and bay leaves in a pan and gently stirring bring to just below the boiling point, making sure all the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat and leave to go completely cold. Drain the shallots from the salted water and pat dry with kitchen towel.

  4. Pack the shallots in the sterilised jars. Pour the vinegar and spices over the shallots. Seal and store in a cool dark place for 1 month to mature. Once opened, store in the refrigerator and use within 1 month.

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