Topic: Can you rescue my pickles?

[katynewbie]

 :-[

Help! I made pickles this year for the first time and have been happy with the results...mostly. Shallots are nice and crunchy and they look great, trouble is that they are so spicy they are almost inedible, I must have got a bit carried away with the pickling spices. I like hot spicy pickles but some folks are made of gentler stuff, can anyone suggest a rescue remedy?

[valmarg]

I know what you mean about overspicing, some of my gran's onions were not for the faint-hearted. ;D

You could try pouring some of the vinegar off, and replacing it with a sweeter vinegar, such as sherry, and perhaps including a bit of medium sherry.  Might be a bit expensive, but would be worth a try, especially if you consider them inedible now, and it would possibly save your 'crop'.    Best I can suggest.  Good luck,

valmarg

[katynewbie]

Thanks Val, will have a go and see what happens!

[PurpleHeather]

I agree that replacing the vinegar could help as the spicy flavour might get reabsorbed into the new vinegar.

It might take several weeks.

As yoghurt is used to calm down the fire in chilli dishes, may be it would work to mix a chopped pickle with a little yoghurt and other things  to make a dips.

If you make some thing like a red onion marmalade which is simply:- chopped red onions, a little vinegar and brown sugar simmered down slowly. Adding a chopped spicy shallot or two could ehance it. Rather nice with soft/goats cheese or pate as a starter.

If all else fails. Sell them on e-bay!  :o

[valmarg]

If all else fails. Sell them on e-bay!  :o

Cruel, but very practical. ;D

valmarg