PICKLED RED ONIONS AND PEPPERS

Pickled red onions and peppers image

What I like about doing onions and peppers this way are they are so versatile. Not only do they pack a great punch to any Mexican type dish { hot or cold } but any dish that needs just a wee bit more "hmmmm something " to it...also sometimes I'll drain the vegetables and add them to a salad, WOW! Let your imagination...

Provided by Irisa Raina 9

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 7

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Ingredients

2 red onions { sliced into ¼ inch pieces }
1 red pepper { cut into ¼ inch strips }
2 good size jalapeño pepper { sliced thin }
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
¼ cup pure cane sugar
2 cups water
6 fresh limes { juiced about 1 & ¼ cups }

Steps:

1. Bring the sugar and water to a boil, then turn down and continue to simmer till the sugar has dissolved. Once that is done, turn the water off and let it come to room temperature. Make sure the sugar/water liquid is completely cooled; otherwise you'll end up cooking the onions and peppers.
2. While the water is simmering, slice the onions and put them in a colander in the sink, and sprinkle with the salt, toss the onions so they are all covered with the salt and let them sit 15 minutes, and then rinse really well and drain. This will take out some of the bite of the raw onions, and will aid in keeping them crisp.
3. Once the sugar water has cooled add the red onions and the jalapeño peppers let them sit 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. While the onions and peppers are soaking, slice the red pepper and juice the limes.
5. After the 30 minutes are up, drain the onions/peppers COMPLEATLY from the sugar water but DO NOT RINSE THEM, put them in a Mason type jar along with the red pepper and pour the lime juice over them. Take a knife and go around the inside of the jar to remove any air bubbles, and wipe the rim before putting the lid and ring on.
6. Leave the jar { upside down } on the counter for 2 hours, then refrigerate for several days { turning it over several times } then use them in any number of dishes.
7. WHAT IS PURE CANE SUGAR? Pure cane sugar is sugar which has been produced from sugar cane, as opposed to sugar which has been produced from sugar beets or a mixture of beet and cane sugar. Some people believe that cane sugar is of higher quality, and as a result, it is highly prized in some areas. It can be more expensive than beet or mixed sugars, and it is usually prominently labeled.
8. Sugar cane is a tropical crop which has been used as a sweetener for centuries. It is processed by crushing the cane so that it releases its sweet juices, and then evaporating the juices to create a concentrated crumble. This crumble can be refined and processed in a variety of ways to generate an assortment of sugar products, including white sugar, brown sugar, and molasses. In the case of pure cane sugar, the cane is processed in a facility which only handles cane, and it is kept isolated from beet sugar products so that the two do not become mixed.
9. There are some trace differences between cane and beet sugar which cause the two to perform slightly differently. Some people claim to be able to detect taste and scent differences, and the two also work differently in the kitchen. Recipes can become problematic when the wrong kind of sugar is used, which is why some specifically call for pure cane sugar, to ensure that they come out as expected. Generic sugar may contain varying proportions of beet and cane sugar, leading to irregular performance in the kitchen.