Pickled Onions/Pickled Cabbage

I'm busy preparing my homemade Christmas hamper recipes at the moment - this weekend I'm in a bit of a pickle!

• Pickling onions/shallots and/or red cabbage
• Salt
• Pickling vinegar OR malt vinegar plus pickling spices

Peel your onions/shallots or half the cabbage and slice it finely.
Put into a bowl and cover with brine (2-3 tbsp salt in 1 litre of water).
Cover with cling film and leave over night.

Next day, rinse well with cold water, drain and pat dry with kitchen roll or a clean tea-towel.
Pack raw ingredients into sterilised jars (wash jars well and heat in a cool oven for 5-10 minutes) and press down well.
Pour vinegar over until covered.
Top with lids and tighten.
Store in a cool, dark place for 2-3 weeks or until needed.

Alternatives: For pickled beetroot, cook, cool, peel and slice, and then pack into jars and top with vinegar (omit the salting).
You can pickle almost any vegetable - try cauliflower, gherkins, mushrooms, peppers or a mixture of veg.