Pickled onion
Onions pickled in a solution of vinegar or salt
Pickled onion
A jar of homemade pickled onions in spiced malt vinegar
Place of originVarious
Main ingredientsOnion
Ingredients generally usedVinegar, salt, spices

Pickled onions are a food item consisting of onions (cultivars of Allium cepa[1]) pickled in a solution of vinegar and salt, often with other preservatives and flavourings.[2] There is a variety of small white pickled onions known as 'silverskin' onions;[3][4] due to imperfections they are pickled instead of being wasted.[5] They are frequently used as the distinguishing feature of a variation on the Martini cocktail, known as a Gibson.[6]

Pickled onions are pickled in vinegar and can vary in size. Silverskin onions are pickled in white vinegar, and are considered to be small. Full sized onions, e.g., Spanish onions, can be pickled if sliced first.[7][8]

By country

In Hong Kong, pickled onions are served in many Cantonese restaurants, especially around dinner time, as a small dish before the main course is served.

In Mexican cuisine, one preparation, cebollas encurtidas, has sliced red onions pickled in a mixture of citrus juices and vinegar, which is served as a garnish or condiment. Sometimes cooked beets are added, producing a more strongly pink coloured dish.[9] Pickled red onions in bitter orange juice are especially emblematic of Yucatán cuisine, where they are used as a garnish or condiment, especially for seafood.[10]

In Switzerland, they are served to accompany raclette, along with pickled gherkins.[11]

In the United Kingdom, the onions are traditionally eaten alongside fish and chips and with a ploughman's lunch.

In the United States, pickled onions are frequently served as a side dish and are also used as an ingredient in various regional recipes.

  • Sliced pickled onions atop a sandwich
    Sliced pickled onions atop a sandwich
  • A dish of pickled silverskin onions
    A dish of pickled silverskin onions
  • Dutch Amsterdamse uitjes (at left): small onions pickled with spices; the yellow colour is from either turmeric or saffron. Here served with ossenworst (smoked minced beef).
    Dutch Amsterdamse uitjes (at left): small onions pickled with spices; the yellow colour is from either turmeric or saffron. Here served with ossenworst (smoked minced beef).

See also

References

  1. ^ L. Maggioni, ed. (2002). European Collections of Vegetatively Propagated Allium: Report of a Workshop; 21 - 22 May 2001, Gatersleben, Germany. Bioversity International. p. 48. ISBN 978-92-9043-528-0.
  2. ^ Channel 4 Recipes - Pickled Onions. Retrieved 26 May 2014
  3. ^ "Waitrose pickled silverskin onions drained 150g". waitrose.com. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  4. ^ Brewster, James L. (2008). Onions and Other Vegetable Alliums. CABI. pp. 428–. ISBN 978-1-84593-399-9.
  5. ^ M.D. Ranken; Ronald C Kill; Christopher G J Baker, eds. (1997). Food Industries Manual. Springer Science. pp. 333–. ISBN 978-0-7514-0404-3.
  6. ^ Arthurs, Deborah (26 May 2016). "Garden to glass cocktail recipe: Pickled spring onion martini is a neat spring twist on a Gibson". The Metro. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  7. ^ Home Pickling, published by Sarsons.
  8. ^ How to Get Into a Pickle, published by Sarsons.
  9. ^ Latina Lite Cooking: 200 Delicious Lowfat Recipes from All Over the Americas - With Special Selections on Nutrition and Weight Loss, Maria Dolores Beatriz. Hachette Book Group, 2009, page 102
  10. ^ Jinich, Pati (25 December 2009). "Pickled Red Onions a la Yucateca". Pati Jinich. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  11. ^ "Raclette". Museum Restaurant. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
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