Pink pepper pickled shallots

Enjoy these pink pepper pickled shallots with hard cheeses like cheddar, comté or gruyère, or served alongside a fondue. They make an ideal festive gift

Prep:30 mins
Cook:10 mins
plus 3 weeks pickling
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 7
fat 0g
saturates 0g
carbs 2g
sugars 0g
fibre 0.2g
protein 0.2g
salt 0.05g

Ingredients

500g small shallots
10g coarse sea salt
500ml cider vinegar
250g caster sugar
2 tbsp (about 10g) pink peppercorns
4-6 bay leaves

Tip

STERILISING THE JARS

Wash the jars with hot, soapy water, and rinse well. Put the jars on a baking tray, upside-down, and bake at 140C/120C fan/gas 1 until completely dry. Pack the veg or chutney into the jars while they’re hot to prevent the glass cracking.

Method

Peel and trim the shallots. You can do this with a small, sharp knife, or, if they’re hard to peel, briefly boil the shallots, then immediately plunge into cold water before peeling.
Tip the salt, vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves and 250ml water into a pan over a low heat and cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is steaming. Add the shallots and continue to simmer for 3-4 mins, but don’t let it boil.
Remove the shallots using a slotted spoon and divide between three sterilised jars (see tip, below), leaving a 1cm gap at the top of each. Tip the vinegar mixture into a jug, and pour over the shallots so they’re fully covered. Seal the jars and gently tap or shake to make sure any air goes to the top. Store in a cool, dark place for three weeks before opening. Once opened, store in the fridge.