Dilly Pickled Onion Slices on an open-faced cheddar cheese sammy.
Julia Child said "It's hard to imagine civilization without onions."
I have to agree with her, but I might add a couple words to that sentence. For me, it's hard to imagine civilization without onions and vinegar.
Vinegar has the ability to take fruits, vegetables, eggs and meats to another level, creating something entirely different.
I often combine vinegar with fruit as part of the process of making refreshing Drinking Vinegars.
We can use vinegar to pickle proteins, like Southern-style shrimp and that pub grub favorite, pickled hard-boiled eggs, and to marinate all types of raw meat too.
But I think what vinegar can do to vegetables is the most versatile by far. You can make pickled vegetables in a matter of minutes, with very little mess, and have something that is ready to serve almost immediately, yet will keep, refrigerated, for up to a month and often much longer.
You can also seal the jars and have a shelf stable product that will last for a year or more, in the right conditions, but be sure to follow a recipe which has been tested. Adding more water to a recipe can change the pH in a negative way. And by negative I mean you can get very very sick. Just don't do it.
They look "blah" in the jar, but I promise you they are anything but...
My Dilly Pickled Onion Slices recipe showcases onions by bringing out their best qualities. They retain their crispness, and are rid of any sharp or bitter notes. The brief cooking time brings their natural sugars to the forefront and makes them shine. Use any kind of onion you want. Today I used inexpensive yellow onions, because that is what I had. For that matter, go ahead and use another type of vinegar, but just be sure it is at least 5% acidity.
These easy-and CHEAP-to-make Dilly Pickled Onion Slices are a hit on a burger. A home run on a hot dog. They add a zesty crunch to any sandwich. (I happen to know these babies are incredible with bologna and a dab of mayo on thickly-sliced white bread.) Fork a few over the top of a simply cooked filet of fish or a slice of smoked samon. Put a generous layer on a grilled cheese sandwich or a tuna melt. Really, do you need more ideas from me? I bet not.
If all else fails, they are fun to eat out of the jar, just as you would eat a dill pickle, but the onion gives this snack a kick that a cuke doesn't deliver. Not a bite mind you. Just a little kick.
