Pickling doesn’t need to be elaborate. Many late summers I have experienced my grandparents and parents spending long evenings in the kitchen after harvesting tons of vegetables in their garden. That period of the year has always been equally satisfying and stressful. Bringing in the harvest after a long summer is very rewarding, but it can also create sheer overwhelm when you are confronted with many types of produce reaching maturity at the same time. As a kid I sometimes wondered why my family is causing themselves so much stress.

Luckily I realised as an adult that preserving, pickling etc. doesn’t need to be a masochist experience. In smaller quantities it can be rather simple, enjoyable and still worthwhile. Even the tiniest amount of produce may be pickled. In fact, I frequently find recipes that include a recipe for mini-batches of chutney, jams or pickles, just a handful to serve with a steak or fish fillet. Small amounts that can be enjoyed immediately rather than having a large batch to be stored in your larder or cellar.

Ever find yourself wondering what to do with half a red onion? Here is a wonderful recipe I have found in Mindy Smith’s „The perfectly tossed salad“. She uses it as a salad topping, but I also like to enjoy  as a condiment for a sandwich filling, on top of a steak or pork chop. Pickling has never been that easy!

Quick pickled red onion

• 1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced
• 100 ml (3.5 fl. oz) vinegar
• 30 g (1 oz) sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 whole black peppercorns
• 2 juniper berries
• pinch of sea salt
• pinch of chili flakes
• pinch of cumin seeds

Place the vinegar with all the other ingredients bar the onion in a small pan and bring to a boil, stir until the sugar has been dissolved. Add the onion and simmer for a minute, then remove from the heat and leave to cool in the pickling liquid for 30 minutes.