Pickled scallions

6 Half-pints

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
18 Bunches of scallions
1 cup Salt
Water
¼ cup Sugar
6 cups White vinegar
6 tablespoons Whole allspice
1 tablespoon White mustard seed
2 tablespoons Whole peppercorns
6 Small hot peppers
6 Bay leaves
6 Cloves garlic (optional)

Directions

Trim the scallions to fit into half-pint Ball jars. Wash the scallions thoroughly and remove the outer layer, if it is tough or discolored. Wash the vegetable again.

Place the scallions in layers in a large bowl, sprinkling each layer lightly with some of the salt. Cover with cold water and let stand twelve hours or overnight, making sure that the scallions remain submerged.

Drain the scallions, rinse them in fresh cold water, and drain again.

Combine the sugar and vinegar. Add the allspice, mustard seed and pepppercorns, tied together in a cheesecloth bag. Bring to a boil and simmer fifteen minutes. Discard the spice bag.

Pack the scallions, standing upright, into six sterilized jars.

Add one hot pepper, one bay leaf and one clove of garlic, if desired, to each jar.

Fill the jars to within ½ inch of the top with the boiling liquid and place the covers on loosely.

Place the jars on a wooden rack in a kettle half filled with boiling water. Boil fifteen minutes, remove the jars with tongs and tighten the covers. Store in a cool place.

SOURCE: "An Herb and Spice Cook Book", by Craig Claiborne, Copyright 1963

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