Sweet Pickled Shallots

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 47, 17 May 1940, Page 45

Sweet Pickled Shallots

Peel, rinse, and wipe them thoroughly dry. Put into glass jars, or a big stone jar. Salt them liberally when packed in — about a pound of salt to two gallons of shallots, or little pickling onions. Leave for 3 days. Then drain very thoroughly. Boil up a gallon of vinegar with a pound of sugar, 3o0z. of allspice, and about half of a two-pound tin of golden syrup. Boil well until ail the ingredients are worked thoroughly

into the vinegar. Allow to become cold, then pour it over the shallots. Do not screw down airtight, as the oniony smell becomes unpleasantly strong; but cover with double thicknesses of cloth, and a rubber ring. They may be used in one month, but improve with keeping. Here is another letter about sweet pickled shallots: Dear Aunt Daisy, Peel your shallots and put them into a big basin (I use my big wash-hand basin), and when finished sprinkle them all over with salt. Let them stand all night. Next morning, take them out, lay them on a large piece of cloth and go over them; you will find there is always another skin to come off. When you have finished, place them in jars; first quarter-fill the jar with shallots, then put a few cloves and a few wholespice, say about six of. each on each layer for a two-pound jar. Repeat this until full, then put in your vinegar. I buy mine at the grocer’s, just the draught vinegar, but I do not boil it, just pour it on cold, and really the pickles are delicious. When you have finished, just put in about 4 teaspoons of sugar on top of the jar; if required sweeter, add more sugar to taste. I allow my shallots

to stand for four hours before I cover them, as they may require more vinegar. This method is absolutely reliable. I have done mine in this way for four years, and have kept them for eighteen months, and found they were still lovely and crisp.-‘"Mrs, Ref." (Berhampore).