Wednesday, 19 October 2016
Here in Britain, I don’t think we make enough out of the nibbles that go with our pre-dinner drinks. We may open a bottle of wine or mix ourselves a gin and tonic, but the accompaniment is a packet of crisps, if we’re lucky, or indeed nothing at all. I’m more used to the French way of doing things, where it would be unusual not to have something a little bit special and a little bit savoury to pick at while you’re enjoying a pre-dinner drink. However, I think the surprising amount of traffic my recipe for Classic Cheese Straws outside of Christmas (they’re the 7th most popular recipe on my blog of all time) shows that perhaps us Brits are hankering for something a bit more special before dinner like our European counterparts.
Leaving Europe behind for a moment (sort of), this not really a recipe recipe I’ve chosen to showcase the fourth and final product from the new Baxters Deli Toppers Range is inspired by something I ate in California. (You can check out the rest of my Baxters Deli Toppers recipes here: Shredded Barbecue Duck Rolls with Red Slaw, , and Vegan Loaded Nachos.
Last Spring when I rented an apartment near the canals in Venice for a month of writing, eating and exploring in my favourite American city, most evenings after a day of typing I got to know some of the great happy hours dotted up and down Abbey Kinney Boulevard, where a small list of great value wines and co*cktails were listed along with a few slightly more substantial than canapé nibbles. In case you were wondering, FEED Body and Soul does a good co*cktail/ taco happy hour, but my absolute favourite which I went back to again and again was at Zinque. A French, California style wine bar, I spend an inordinate amount of time sitting up at the bar with a good book or the days newspaper on my iPad, drinking some of their fantastically curated wines, and nibbling on some of their fantastic small bar plates. Their devilled eggs are good, and I ate many, many plates of their imported French bread, topped off with local tomatoes and avocado, but actually more me the stand out dish was more of their fantastic (actual Parisian, important in America where bad quality bread is frankly inedible) served with a hunk of locally made, French style pâté and a couple of pickles. It sounds simple, but such a basic combination, with a good glass of wine, is just what I want before supper.
So, after a busy day at work this week, or towards the end of a lazy Saturday this weekend, toast some thick slices of fresh, farmhouse style bread, some good pâté (at the moment I’m all about Waitrose’s smooth duck liver pâté spiked with Grand Marnier, but you can find my recipe to make your own chicken liver pâté here), a jar of Baxters Deli Toppers Red Onion, and open a good bottle of red. Bring everything to the table, and sit down to enjoy with friends or family, or even just a good book for company. If you’re the sort who likes a detailed shopping list, for two pieces each for three people, you’ll need 3 slices of toast, roughly 75g (3 tbsp) pâté (I prefer smooth pâté, but chunky pâté is equally delicious here, too) and about 6 forkfuls of onions.
Be sure to check out the Deli Toppers micro siteto find out a bit more about the range, and for some delicious recipes using the new products from me, my fellow food bloggers, and the Baxters team. You can enter their prize draw to win a jar of the new Delip Toppers here, and if you fancy some tickets to Taste of London in November, you can be in with a chance of winning a couple if you create a recipe using Deli Toppers, post a picture of Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and use the hashtag #GetTopping. Also, don’t forget to include me in your post so I can see your creations!
If you’re looking for a few more, bit more substantial than bite sized nibbles to make before dinner, why not give my Easy Asian Devilled Eggs, cure a piece of your own salmon to make some of my (which again, should not just be relegated to Christmas and New Year), or my Breaded Prawns with Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce (which come in as the 3rd most popular recipe on this blog of all time, in case you were curious. You can tell I’m a little obsessed with my new league table, can’t you!)
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FAQs
They also claimed that onions soaked in red wines helped lower cholesterol, promote heart, brain and bone health as well as mitigate depression, obesity and insomnia. Additionally, in the world of wines the term onion skin is a popular wine-color descriptor, especially for rose wines.
What to serve pickled red onions with? ›
Tacos: The sweet acidity is especially good on fish tacos and carnitas. Mayo-based salads: Add chopped pickled red onions to egg salads and potato salads, or use as a topper for deviled eggs. Green salads: Top any salad with pickled red onions to add flavor and eye-candy.
How long do pickled red onions last? ›
Your pickled onions will be ready to eat once they're bright pink and tender - about 1 hour for very thinly sliced onions, or overnight for thicker sliced onions. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
What is a good substitute for pickled onions? ›
Capers: Capers are briny and salty, making them a good option to replace the tangy flavor of pickled onions in dishes like sandwiches or salads. Pickled cucumbers: If you want the tangy flavor of pickled onions but don't have any on hand, you can use pickled cucumbers instead.
What does drinking red wine every night do to your body? ›
Too much can be destructive to your health, raising your blood pressure and your risk of developing several kinds of cancer. Too little may hold you back from some of the benefits that moderate drinkers enjoy, like lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, mortality and type-2 diabetes.
Does red wine clean the liver? ›
Alcohol is a common cause of liver disease. However, some contexts link moderate red wine consumption to good liver health. According to a 2018 study , modest alcohol intake, particularly wine, is linked with lower liver fibrosis in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Can I use leftover pickle juice to pickle red onions? ›
To Pickle Other Things
If you have vegetables that would be good pickled, like onions, garlic, carrots or green beans, toss them in the jar of leftover pickle juice, and see what happens.
Are pickled red onions good for gut? ›
Fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut or pickled red onions contain high amounts of good probiotics and digestive enzymes. Maintaining a healthy gut flora can aid your digestion and overall energy levels.
Can you pickle red onions in leftover pickle juice? ›
Heat up the pickle juice in a microwave-safe bowl or on the stovetop until boiling. Put the vegetables and red onion back in the pickle jar and pour the pickle juice over top. Screw the top onto the pickle jar and let the mixture sit in the fridge for at least 5 hours. The pickles will keep for up to 1 week.
Which is the best vinegar for pickling? ›
Most pickle recipes call for distilled white vinegar. This is the clear, colorless vinegar made by fermenting grains. It has a mellow aroma, tart acid flavor and does not affect the color of light-colored vegetables or fruits.
Pickled onions, for example, can be a beneficial part of a healthy diet. The pickling process does use a large amount of salt and sugar, but when eaten in moderation and considering the fact that pickled vegetables retain their nutritional values, they can be included in your diet.
Do you have to boil vinegar for pickling? ›
No, there are other methods for pickling, including quick pickling and refrigerator pickling. But this pickling method does call for boiling the brine. This process helps bloom the flavors of the ingredients and help speed up the pickling process when it's added to the fresh vegetables or fruit.
Do you have to salt onions before pickling? ›
Salt is a very important component when pickling, as it helps prevent the production of harmful bacteria by drawing out moisture. There are two types of 'salting'. Dry salting prior to the pickling process (which the recipe below uses) or wet salting, which uses a brine as part of the pickling process.
Why do you boil onions before pickling? ›
I always like to salt and soak the onions before pickling. This gets rid of the harsh 'bite' that often makes raw-onions unappetizing. Soaking them for a short time in hot water softens the onions slightly, priming them for quicker, more thorough absorption of the vinegar brine.
Do pickled onions lower cholesterol? ›
While the pickling process may alter some of these properties, pickled onions can still offer some blood sugar regulation benefits. In terms of heart health, pickled onions may contribute to lower cholesterol levels and reduced blood pressure.
How does red wine reduce belly fat? ›
According to The Drinks Business, Washington State University scientists found that resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red wine, can help transform stubborn white fat into burnable brown fat. A separate study at Harvard found a link between wine and weight loss.
Does onion reduce alcohol in the body? ›
Enjoy some onion soup gratinee
While the cheese will slow alcohol's entry into the bloodstream, the sugar in the onions will burn the alcohol and speed up the body's metabolism.
What red wine goes with liver and onions? ›
Liver and onions are sweet, so we need a wine with matching sweetness. To complement the iron flavor of liver go for a Syrah or its blends from Côtes du Rhône, a Merlot or a Rioja, they have just the right bite.
