A number of years ago, I was in charge of the food for about 250 young people and their adult leaders at a church-sponsored youth conference. As we got close to the date of the conference, the conference chairman looked over the menu.

“Pickled onions?” he asked in disbelief. “The kids aren’t going to eat that!”

“Just trust me,” I replied.

He did. The pickled onions were a hit.

Pickled onions are sweet, sour, and crunchy. They bring a crispy bite of acid that complements fish tacos and smoky meats, nachos and burgers, salads and beans.  You just can’t go wrong. Serve them in a bowl at the table, and people will gobble them up.

Pickled Red Onions

• 2 large red onions
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt

Slice the onions in half through the root end. Trim the ends of the onions, and slice the onions into 1/8 inch wide half-moon pieces.

Blanch the onion slices in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain the onions in a colander. Dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar in a heavy non-reactive pan. Return the onions to the brine, and add enough cold water to just cover the onions.

Bring the brine to a boil over high heat. Simmer the onions for 1 minute.

Transfer the onions and the brine to a large glass jar. Store the jar in the refrigerator. The onions will become crisp and turn bright pink as they cool. They are as beautiful as they are tasty.

Variations:

• Different types of vinegar bring different flavors to the table, so feel free to experiment.
• Add 2 tablespoons Mexican oregano and 2 bay leaves to the brine to vary the flavor.
• Add 6 to 8 cloves of peeled garlic to the onions in the brine to bring a richness to the brine. (Garlic makes just about everything better.)
• If you want to bring some heat to the onions, add jalapeno slices or red pepper flakes to the brine.