Pickled Shallots with Mixed Peppercorns and Star Anise in Cider Apple Vinegar
Today’s recipe is truly Christmas in a Jar – this recipe for Pickled Shallots with Mixed Peppercorns and Star Anise in Cider Apple Vinegar, is my latest preserves creation and is perfect for the festive cheeseboard, or as a gift for friends and family. I developed this recipe specially for some Davidstow Cheddar cheese I was sent recently…..the two cheese that I was sent were a tangy 18 month extra matured Cheddar, aka Cornish Crackler, and a complex 3 year Reserve vintage cheddar. Both cheeses are mature enough to be served with my latest pickle recipe, and the cider apple vinegar flavour is particularly delicious when served with this festive cheeseboard.
I’m an avid pickle fan, and I love a good pickled onion, especially with a ploughman’s lunch….but, when creating a new recipe for these two award-winning cheeses, I wanted something a a bit special, something that was aromatically festive and fun, enter these Pickled Shallots with Mixed Peppercorns and Star Anise in Cider Apple Vinegar, which not only look brilliant, I think you will agree, but dance provocatively on the tongue with a slightly Asian flavour……that’ll be be the star anise. Along with the star anise, I added a mixture of different coloured peppercorns – pink, green, white and black as well as some mustard seeds for a warm flavour kick.
Some of my readers may remember I worked with Davidstow Cheddar last year, and my recipe for Spiced Fig Jam, which accompanied last year’s festive cheeseboard, has been one of my popular preserves recipes on Lavender and Lovage – this delicious jam has a wonderful rich colour, and is wonderful when spread on toast or bread, as well as dolloped on ice cream and hot desserts – but the best new is, is that it is AMAZING with cheese too, and I always serve my cheeseboard with a jar of this on the side. I was going to make some crackers to accompany my cheeseboard this year, but these shallots jumped into my shopping basket and begged to be pickled, and pickled they were!
The recipe is shared below, along with some of my notes (and some Davidstow Cheddar’s notes) on how to assemble and “style” a cheeseboard, and if you get a shimmy on and make these pickled shallots this week, they will JUST be ready in time for Christmas and the New Year. I served BOTH cheddar cheeses on my board, which seemed to suit all tastes in cheese…..the 18 month extra mature is “Exquisitely intense flavour with a slight crunch of calcium crystals and deliciously flinty. The taste is finished off by a velvety creaminess that tempers the intense flavour, resulting in a well-rounded flavour profile”, whilst the multi award-winning 3 year vintage reserve is “has an unrivalled complexity in taste and crystalline appearance. The concentration of flavour pleasantly lingers on the palate before subtly disappearing with a wave of creaminess”.
I hope you enjoy making this easy recipe as much I did a few weeks ago, and I’m sure all the pickled onion fans put there will love these pickled shallots as much as we do too. You can use small onions if you wish, and if you like a little heat, then you can add a couple of dried chillies to the pickling vinegar. I’ll be back soon with more recipes, culinary news and traveller’s tales, so do keep popping back to see what’s new. Have a wonderful week, Karen
Disclaimer: Collaborative paid post with Davidstow Cheddar
An impressive cheeseboard is easy to put together with a bit of knowledge and care. Here are our top tips to ensure your cheeseboard rounds off festivities in the perfect manner:
*Never have more than four cheeses on the board.
*Vary the cheeses that you include to incorporate a variety of textures and styles.
*Pairing cheese with the right accompaniments will bring out its unique flavours.
*Be sure to serve cheese at room temperature to bring out its full flavour – allow a minimum standing period of 20 minutes.
*Never pre-slice cheese as it will cause it to dry out.
*Present cheese on either a large, flat slate, marble tile or a wooden cheeseboard.
My Notes for the Perfect Cheeseboard:
* Choose between four and five cheese to enhance the palate and not confuse it.
*Choose hard, medium and soft cheeses, for different textures.
*Always unwrap your cheese and bring it to room temperature for an hour before serving. Store your cheese wrapped in greaseproof paper wherever possible, as cling-film makes it “sweat” as well as being too “wet”to serve. Invest in a cheese cave, an open framework with mesh covers and door, which allows the cheese to “breathe” and “age” (affinage) naturally.
*Always serve the cheeseboard before the dessert. This allows you to finish your wine (as served with the main meal) and also serving savoury after sweet is not always that pleasant!
*Allow about 75g to 100g per person if no dessert is being served, or 50g to 75g if a dessert will follow.
Pickled Shallots with Mixed Peppercorns and Star Anise in Cider Apple Vinegar
Print recipe
| Serves | 4 x 450ml jars |
| Prep time | 24 hours, 30 minutes |
| Cook time | 5 minutes |
| Total time | 24 hours, 35 minutes |
| Dietary | Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Condiment |
| Misc | Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Casual Party, Christmas, Formal Party, Thanksgiving |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 1kg shallots
- 150g sea salt
- 1 tablespoon mixed peppercorns (black, green, white and pink)
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 10 star anise
- 700ml cider apple vinegar
- 100g light brown sugar
Note
These pickled shallots are spiced with mixed peppercorns and star anise in cider apple vinegar for a aromatic and fruity taste. Serve them with cheese, charcuterie, sandwiches and with anything "on toast" as well as with fish and chips!
Directions
| Step 1 | The day before you start pickling, soak the shallots in boiling water. Allow them to cool in the water, then skin them and trim the root ends. Cut any large shallots in half. |
| Step 2 | Mix the sea salt with 300ml of freshly boiled water in a large bowl and stir to dissolve the salt. Add 1 litre of cold water and then add the shallots and allow them to soak overnight. |
| Step 3 | The next day, drain the shallots, rinse them in cold water and then pack them into sterilised jars. |
| Step 4 | Add the whole peppercorns and spices to a pan with the vinegar and sugar and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Allow to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes and then pour the hot spiced vinegar over the shallots. |
| Step 5 | Seal the jars immediately and store in a cool, dark place for 3 to 4 weeks before using. (Can be stored unopened for up to 2 years) |
Anita-Clare Field says
I absolutely love pickled shallots. My late father used to make the most superb ones laced with chilli and my Grandma’s were the stuff of pure legend. My cousin and I famously ate a jar on the way home from a visit stuck in traffic on the M25 ! This recipe looks absolutely divine, you can almost smell Christmas oozing from the jar. I’m off for the next few weeks from work so there is no excuse not to give this delicious recipe a whirl.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hahaha! I could probably eat a whole jar too!! I hope you enjoy these if you make them, Karen
Dom says
oooh, I do love a pickled onion… spent the weekend with a chef who was pickling all kinds of veg and he used star anise and gin! Which was rather wonderful!
Karen Burns-Booth says
I love star anise in pickles as well as Asian dishes too! Karen
Glamorous Glutton says
I love home made pickled onions, they’re such a treat. Great spices, I’m sure these are delicious. GG
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you GG! We all love a good pickled onion here too! Karen
Catherine says
I’ve just made these and they look like jewels in the jar. They will be stored until Christmas but where? Which would be best, the cold garage or kitchen cupboard please?
Karen Burns-Booth says
I’m so pleased you’ve made these! Yes, a cold garage will be best Catherine! Karen
Ruthie A Ward says
Could you expand on your directions for Step 1? Do you boil the shallots until tender or just let them soak off-heat for a certain period of time?
Karen Burns-Booth says
You just soak the shallots in boiling water, NO need to boil them, and they should not be tender, as they will become a crunchy pickle! Hope that helps, step one is exactly as it states, just soak them. Karen
Rachel Gillon says
I love pickled shallots and these sound really nice. Will also make a great Christmas gift.
Laurel kostuk says
Do these need to be waterbathed for them to be stored for up to a Year? And if not why?
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hello
Here in Europe and the UK we don’t tend to use the water bath method when canning, and as these shallots are in VINEGAR, there is absolutely no need to water bath them, as they will cook and render them soggy and not crunchy.
I realise that in other countries, mainly N America, you water bath everything, but we are all still fit and healthy here in the UK with very, very few incidents of food poisoning.
As with all preserves and canning, hygiene is the key issue and sterilising your jars etc.
Karen
Laurel kostuk says
Hello
Thank you very much for your quick reply and information.
I must thank you for posting such lovely recipes and pictures. You are a very talented individual and I wish you nothing but the best in your business adventures.
Warmest Regards
Laurel
Edmonton Alberta Canada .
Karen Burns-Booth says
You are very welcome! I love Edmonton in Canada too, been there several times in press trips 🙂