1 large red onion
¾ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup water
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano (or 1tbsp dried)
Garnishes get a bad rap. Too often the parsley is dumped on the side of the plate (you don't eat that, right), the orange blossoms are thrown away and the multitude of flavors that such overtly visual ingredients add are dismissed. But a garnish can be more than a punctuation mark on a dish. A favorite of mine is pickled red onions; you've probably seen them on a number of meals, vibrant, almost garishly pink, crisp and spicy rings. Delicious as they are, they're also tremendously easy to make and accent almost any kind of entrée or snack.
First, slice the onion as thinly as possible - think transparent rings. A mandolin is ideal for this, but if you're not so lucky (or snooty) as to have one, choose your sharpest blade and start going. Meanwhile, combine the vinegars and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Be careful, though: hot vinegar releases some fumes and you might want to keep a window open.
Once boiling, add onions and the rest of the ingredients and stir quickly. Fresh oregano will have a fuller flavor, but dry oregano will work in a pinch. Bring the onions to a low simmer and cook for two to three minutes. Transfer to a large mason jar/pickling jar/thick plastic container and let sit until cool. Seal tightly. The onions are best within a week, but will last for several more.
I use pickled red onions for garnishes, snacks and ingredients in all sorts of dishes. Top it to a quiche for a piquant crunch, add it to tacos for a cold, spicy contrast, or simply serve it with fresh mozzarella and a glass of wine. You'll be satisfied in any occasion.
by Nathan Kamal