[muntjac]

pickling onions ,well i wont be peeling them but i will be doing the neccasary to mrs beetons recipe , bless her  


4.55lt (8 pints) Pickling Onions
Salt and Water
Milk

To each 2½lt (4 pints) Vinegar
25g (1oz) Ginger, bruised
25g (1oz) Allspice
25g (1oz) Whole Black Pepper
7g (¼oz) Whole Nutmeg, bruised
7g (¼oz) Mace
8 Cloves
¼ tsp Cayenne

The onions should not be too small, quite dry and ripe.
Wipe off the dirt, but do not pare them.
Make a strong solution of salt and water, into which put the onions.
Change the brine, morning and night, for 3 days.
Save the last brine they were put in.
Remove the outer skin and put them into a saucepan capable of holding them all, as they are always better done together.
Take equal quantities of milk and the last salt and water the onions were in and pour over.
To this add 2 large spoonfuls of salt.
Put them over the heat and watch them very attentively.
Keep constantly turning the onions with a wooden skimmer, those at the bottom to the top and vice versâ and let the milk and water run through the holes of the skimmer.
Remember, the onions must never boil, or, if they do, they will be good for nothing and they should be quite transparent.
Keep the onions stirred for a few minutes and in stirring them, be careful not to break them.
Have a colander ready, into which turn the onions to drain, covering them with a cloth to keep in the steam.
Place on a table an old cloth, doubled 2 or 3 times.
Put the onions on it when quite hot and cover with an old piece of blanket.
Cover this closely over them, to keep in the steam.
Allow them to stand until the next day, when they will be quite cold and look yellow and shriveled.
Take off the shriveled skins, then they should be as white as snow.
Put them in a pan.
Make a pickle of vinegar and the remaining ingredients, boiled together.
Pour hot over the onions in the pan.
Cover very closely to keep in all the steam.
Allow them to stand until the following day, until quite cold.
Put them into sterilised jars or bottles with airtight lids and add a tablespoonful of the best olive oil on the top of each jar or bottle.
Seal the jars and allow to stand in a cool place for a month or six weeks, then they will be fit for use.
They should be beautifully white and eat crisp, without the least softness and will keep good many months

[WG.]

Amazing - never seen milk in a pickled onion recipe before !!

[mushroom]

yeah! why the milk :?:  :?:  :?:

[gobs]

I donno, but it does surely ferments well into aaaaaaaaaall sorts.

[muntjac]

COS MRS BEETON SAYS SO ,,,,,,,,, awaight          

[normaroo]

Doesn't say to add milk in my Mrs Beeton's Cookery book.

Think this book is very old there's adverts in it and you can buy jars of Vasaline for 3d,6d and 10d.

[muntjac]

its a very old recipe normaroo ,,   she probably changed it fterwards it was something to do with acidity i think  

[Aunt Sally]

COS MRS BEETON SAYS SO ,,,,,,,,, awaight          

So she does  http://www.mrsbeeton.com/10-chapter10.html

Recipe # 487  

[Selkie]

COS MRS BEETON SAYS SO ,,,,,,,,, awaight          

So she does  http://www.mrsbeeton.com/10-chapter10.html

Recipe # 487  

 :shock: even mrs beeton's on the internet!!!