Seasonable from the middle of July to the end of August.
Ingredients
1 gallon of pickling onions
salt
water
milk
1/2 gallon of vinegar
1 oz. of bruised ginger
1/4 teaspoonful of cayenne
1 oz. of allspice
1 oz. of whole black pepper
1/4 oz. of whole nutmeg bruised
8 cloves
1/4 oz. of mace
Directions
Gather the onions, which should not be too small
When they are quite dry and ripe; wipe off the dirt, but do not pare them
Make a strong solution of salt and water, into which put the onions
Change this, morning and night, for 3 days, and save the _last_ brine they were put in
Then take the outside skin off
Put them into a tin saucepan capable of holding them all, as they are always better done together
Take equal quantities of milk and the last salt and water the onions were in, and pour this to them
Add 2 large spoonfuls of salt
Put them over the fire, and watch them very attentively
Keep constantly turning the onions about with a wooden skimmer, those at the bottom to the top, and vice versa; and let the milk and water run through the holes of the skimmer
Remember, the onions must never boil, or, if they do, they will be good for nothing; and they should be quite transparent
Keep the onions stirred for a few minutes, and, in stirring them, be particular not to break them
Then have ready a pan with a colander, into which turn the onions to drain, covering them with a cloth to keep in the steam
Place on a table an old cloth, 2 or 3 times double
Put the onions on it when quite hot, and over them an old piece of blanket
Cover this closely over them, to keep in the steam
Let them remain till the next day, when they will be quite cold, and look yellow and shrivelled
Take off the shrivelled skins, when they should be as white as snow
Put them in a pan
Make a pickle of vinegar and the remaining ingredients
Boil all these up, and pour hot over the onions in the pan
Cover very closely to keep in all the steam, and let them stand till the following day, when they will be quite cold
Put them into jars or bottles well bunged, and a tablespoonful of the best olive-oil on the top of each jar or bottle
Tie them down with bladder, and let them stand in a cool place for a month or six weeks, when they will be fit for use
They should be beautifully white, and eat crisp, without the least softness, and will keep good many months. Source: The Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton (1859)
Onion Pie
