pickled leek and red onion relish and some astounding news

Good beautiful afternoon from hot and sunny New Hampshire!  If I disappeared suddenly two weeks ago, it was because I was running around flapping my arms and squeaking - in between sorting all my worldly goods while packing for a move to........Minnesota!

Yup, Minneapolis, to be exact.  My daughter and her family are out there and have been dropping hints for a year for me to move there, and one day I just said "yes".  Maybe it  was something in these pickled onions I was making , heaping them onto a huge turkey sandwich.  I've been sorting and packing ever since, and finalized a late June Moving Day.  Yes, I'm excited, and yes, I will miss New England, but it's time for a change.


I don't know that relish is the right word for these, but I use them like that hot pepper relish I have - on sandwiches.  Tossed on top of roasted chicken.  Stirred into cottage cheese.  Since this makes two cups of pickled relish, it goes in a flash, and I don't have to worry much about leftovers.  I used a fresh bay leaf that was very flavorful and aromatic, and that immediately went on my To Buy list in the new place - a small bay tree.

Makes 2 cups pickled onions:

1 16 0z Wide Mouth Mason jar

1 cup very thinly sliced leek white
1 cup very thinly sliced red onion
two pinches of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or light herb vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 heaping teaspoon bottled caper berries
1 large fresh bay leaf


Wash the jar very well, then dip it in a saucepan of boiling water, along with the lid.
Remove jar with tongs to a clean cloth, as well as the lid.   Let cool. 

Pour out about half the hot water, and add the leeks and onion slices, keeping at a slow boil for about a minute.  Drain and set aside.

Use the same pot to heat the vinegars, adding the salt, red pepper flakes, capers, and bay leaf until warm, then pour into the heatproof jar. Add the onions and leeks.  Let cool and store, covered, in the fridge.

Happy Spring!