A simple, easy to make garnish that will add a slight crunch, a sharp tang, an edge of sweetness, and a pop of color to your salads and sandwiches.  I like onions, but tend to avoid raw ones due to their potent aftertaste.  By pickling my onions I can garnish my food with them without having to deal with running around with onion-breath for the rest of the day.  You can also store your pickled red onions in a refrigerator for up to a month (longer, if you want to bother canning them) – highly convenient.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (white vinegar also works)
• 1 cup Water
• 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
• 1 sliced Red Onion
• 1 tsp whole Black Pepper Corns
• 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Salt

Directions:

1. In a pot on the stovetop, bring the vinegar, water, maple syrup, pepper corns, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, and salt to a boil.
2. Once the pickling mixture has boiled for a few minutes, add in the red onion.
3. Allow the onion to cook in the pickling mixture for a few minutes.  I tend to leave it in there until the onion starts to become transparent.  It is a balancing act.  You want your onion to retain a slight crunch, but you also want it to be cooked enough to tame the raw onion flavor.
4. Remove your onions from the heat and allow them to cool, before storing them in a tightly sealed container.  I usually use a mason jar.  Make sure that the pickling solution covers the onions fully, and keep them in a refrigerator for up to a month.