Name: Cocktail Onions
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 12 ounces small pearl onions; 4 ounces distilled white vinegar; 2 ounces dry vermouth; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1½ teaspoons canning salt; 1 teaspoon juniper berries , lightly crushed; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds; ½ teaspoon black peppercorns; 2 (2-inch) strips lemon zest

Why This Recipe Works

When brined in a flavorful spiced liquid, mild, naturally sweet pearl onions become the signature garnish for the Gibson, the pickled onion–lover's riff on the gin martini. You can also set out a bowl of them for garnishing when you serve Bloody Marys for a Crowd, or use them on a cheese plate.

Before You Begin

We prefer to use fresh pearl onions for their bright flavor and firm texture and do not recommend using frozen pearl onions in this recipe. Look for fresh pearl onions that are no larger than 1 inch in diameter. Blanching them in boiling water for 1 minute makes it easy to remove their skins. The additives commonly found in table salt (iodine and anticaking agents) can produce off-flavors and hazy brines when making pickles, but canning salt—often called pickling or preserving salt—which is specifically designed for pickle making, doesn't contain additives. This salt also has a very fine grain and dissolves quickly in water. You can swap kosher salt for the canning salt: If substituting Morton's Kosher Salt, increase the amount called for here to 2¼ teaspoons; if using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, increase the amount to 3 teaspoons. You will need one 1-pint glass jar with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. Alternatively, you may divide the onions between two 1-cup glass jars.

Instructions

Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Fill large bowl halfway with ice and water. Add onions to boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Drain onions, then transfer to prepared ice bath; drain again. Using paring knife, shave off root ends and tips of onions, then peel off skins.

Bring vinegar, 4 ounces water, dry vermouth, sugar, salt, juniper berries, coriander seeds, and peppercorns to boil in now-empty saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar and salt. Add onions, return to simmer, and cook for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, place 1-pint glass jar in separate bowl and place under hot running water until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes; shake dry.

Place zest strips into hot jar. Using slotted spoon, pack onions into jar. Using funnel and ladle, pour hot vinegar mixture over onions to cover; you may have some leftover brine. Let jar cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours before serving. (Cocktail Onions can be refrigerated for up to 2 months.)