Friday, July 29, 2011

Spicy Pickled Red Onions~

In our home we cook all types of food.  I love to cook outside when I can, grilling and BBQing many American and Northwest classics. We like ethnic foods of all types, especially Mexican, Japanese, Spanish, Thai, Caribbean, and Vietnamese. Living in Oregon, we have a wealth of fresh and amazing ingredients to work with. The seafood and produce are some of the best in the world, and the beers and wines are top class. We try to eat as local and organic as much as we can afford. That being said, we try to make lots of our own sauces, jams, and condiments each year. My wife is amazing at canning, and we have a large shelf in the pantry to store all the love of summer.

I have been experimenting with relishes and hot sauces lately. One condiment that has stood out as a clear keeper is Spicy Pickled Red Onions. I love to use them on tacos, sandwiches, and burgers. They add a tangy/sweet/spicy crunch into foods that I find irresistible. The best part is how easy they are to make. You will need…

-       1 small-medium red onion
-       1 large jalapeño
-       ¼ teaspoon (pinch) of sea salt
-       5 peppercorns
-       10 coriander seeds
-       3 tablespoons sugar
-       ¾ cup of distilled white vinegar
-       1 bay leaf



          Cut up the onion in half then cut into thin half-moons slices. Slice up the jalapeño into about 10 slices. I like to keep the seeds and membrane in the pepper to keep it spicy. You can remove them if it is too much heat for you. Next combine the liquids and the spices (remaining ingredients) into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Add the peppers and onion slices and turn off the burner. 
          The onions will wilt a bit and hopefully become covered by the liquid soon. Stir a bit and let it sit on the stovetop for about 30 mins or until cool enough to transfer to a clean mason jar. This amount will usually fit perfectly in a one pint mason jar.  If there is extra, I usually snack on them right then and there. Once transferred, I store in the fridge. These keep for a month or two if you can get them to last that long. 

          


Tomato Chile Braised Beef on
Coconut Rice, Tomatillo Salsa
& Spicy Pickled Red Onion

       














Your burgers, sandwiches and Mexican food will never be the same without this great topping. Don’t let my limited imagination stop you from using them on whatever you see fit.  My wife put them on a Cubano Sandwich and they were fantastic.  

 
   Chile Colorado, Tomatillo Salsa,
   Beans, Rice & Spicy Pickled Red Onion


Here We Go...

Welcome to my new blog, “Did Not Die in Vain”.  There are a lot of food blogs out now, and I was not sure if the world needed another. However, with encouragement from friends and family, I decided to see where this takes me. I figured it is a place I can keep track of the meals I create and the recipes that accompany them. This way I can share photos of meals with family and friends, many of whom were here to enjoy them. Living in Oregon over the last 15 years I have run across some great places to eat and enjoy. Hopefully you will find something here to stimulate your palate and mind. We will see where this whole blog thing goes.

            The name Did Not Die in Vain comes from a funny quote of my dad’s. Growing up he would frequently say, when eating something especially tasty, “Well, this (insert food item here) did not die in vain!” Over the last few years it was proclaimed at almost every meal we shared together, and thus became a running joke amongst the family. We would see him enjoying his meal, eagerly wait for the sentence to start and then, giggling, finish with the “did not die in vain” with him.  This took our joke to a new level.  Now while eating with us Dad will only say, “this (insert food item here)…” pause and then look up at us to chime in the finishing line.  Needless to say, it had to become the name of my blog.
           
And so it begins…