Recipe: Pickled Onions

Here’s a simple recipe for people who want to add fermented vegetables to their diet. Some make pickled onions with vinegar and sugar. These are real fermented onions with a light flavor and lots of probiotics, made naturally.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium red onions, sliced into rings
• 1/2 – 1 Tbsp. sea salt
• 12 oz. filtered water
• 1 Tbsp. whey, optional
• Herbs of your choice. Dill is good; parsley is good; thyme and rosemary also work well.  

DIRECTIONS

1. Pack sliced onions firmly into 12-oz. glass jar. About one red onion is perfect.
2. Layer in any herbs you want. 
3. In a separate container, dissolve salt in 12 ounces of filtered water and add whey (optional).
4. Pour brine over onions and tilt jar a few times to mix well. Leave one inch between the top of the jar and the top of the brine. Use a weight to keep the onions under the brine, if necessary.
5. Let sit on counter for three to seven days. Use an airlock lid or burp the jars (meaning just open them) every day to let out the gasses that are a natural byproduct of fermentation. If the water level rises, simply pour some out.
6. Enjoy on salads, burgers or anywhere you usually use red onions.  Fermented red onions will have a sour, albeit less pungent, flavor than unfermented ones.

Adapted from Cultures for Our Health