Spiced pickled shallots

If you like pickled onions you’ll love this easy preserved shallots recipe – perfect with cold meats or alongside a ploughman’s lunch

Prep:1 hrs
Cook:10 mins
plus overnight brining

Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 26
fat 0g
saturates 0g
carbs 4g
sugars 4g
fibre 2g
protein 1g
salt 0.9g

Ingredients

1kg shallots
140g coarse crystal sea salt
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
10 cloves
few pieces of mace blades
pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional)
2 bay leaves
700ml white wine vinegar, plus 3½ tbsp
100g light brown soft sugar

Tip

Sterilising jars and equipment

Wash jars and lids in hot, soapy water, rinse, then place on a baking tray and put in a low oven for 10 mins or until completely dry. If you want to use rubber seals, remove the seals and cover in just-boiled water. Make sure you sterilise any funnels, ladles or spoons you’re going to be using too. All equipment must be sparklingly clean before you begin, to eliminate bacteria or yeasts from the equation.

Choose the right vinegar

For pickles to last in the jar, the vinegar must be 6% acidity. White wine and malt vinegars are 6%, but cider vinegar has slightly lower acidity, so is more suitable for chutneys.

Choose the right salt

Do not use table salt for pickling, as the anti-caking agents can give a cloudy, discoloured result. Look for either coarse crystal or coarse grain salt.

Cover the veg

Allow a few centimetres of space at the top of the jar and make sure the vegetables are well-covered in vinegar. A pestle or the end of a rolling pin is ideal for pushing the veg down into the vinegar.

Storing the pickles

When salted or brined and pickled, and kept in a cool, dark place, these pickles should last, unopened, for several months. Softer vegetables, such as beans and cucumbers, are most likely to go soggy sooner, as they are the most watery.

Method

The day before pickling, put the shallots in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to cool, then drain and peel away the skins and trim the root ends.
In a large bowl, mix the coarse crystal sea salt with 300ml boiling water and let it dissolve to make a brining solution. Add 1.2 litres cold water, then the shallots. Cover and leave to soak overnight. The next day, drain, rinse then drain again. Pack the shallots into sterilised jars (see tip below).
To make the pickling vinegar, put the whole spices in a medium saucepan. Toast over a low heat until they begin to smell aromatic. Add the dried chilli flakes last, as these can easily catch.
Add the bay, pour in all of the vinegar and sugar, let it dissolve, and bring to a simmer.
Pour the hot vinegar over the shallots and seal while hot. Ready to eat in 1 month, or longer, if you like.