As I continue to forage online for wild onion recipes, I came across this gem, Pickled Wild Onions with Honey and Wild Rosemary at Food & Wine.
I loved that this recipe called for local honey. I also love anything with rosemary.
My rosemary is not wild, per say, but it is wild looking. This monster rosemary has survived almost a decade and a half with little or no real special care. It is huge and it makes my sister nuts. (She who lives in the frigid north cannot overwinter this herb.) Maybe mine has reverted to its wild roots.
More unruly than wild.
I went to the wild onion patch before a lovely morning rain and pulled all I could. I decided I had to try this recipe.
My onion cleaning assembly line on the patio.
Local honey and some of the "unruly" rosemary.
Pickled Wild Onions with Local Honey and “Unruly Rosemary”
from Pickled Wild Onions with Honey and Wild Rosemary (Food & Wine)1 pint jar, lid and ring
1 1/2 c. small wild onions, trimmed and washed
1/2 c. Champagne vinegar
1/2 c. local honey
1/4 c. distilled water
2 T. fresh lemon juice
5 whole black peppercorns
1/4 t. fine sea salt
1 rosemary sprig (about 5-6 inches long)Sterilize jar, lid and ring. Pack the onions into sterilized pint glass jar.
Cleaned onions. (It took a while to peel and clean these little beauties.)
In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, honey, water, lemon juice, peppercorns, salt and rosemary sprig and bring to a boil.
Pickling liquid and sterilizing water boiling away.
Pour the hot liquid over the onions. Add lid and tighten ring.
Finished jar.
Let cool completely. While onions cool, rotate jar every thirty minutes so all onions get pickled.
Upside down.
Serve right away at room temperature or refrigerate for up to one week.
Option for serving: Just before serving the onions, snip five rosemary sprigs into 2-inch lengths. Heat one cup of canola oil in a small skillet until shimmering. Add the rosemary and fry over moderately high heat for about 30 seconds, until crisp and just beginning to brown around the edges. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Serve with the onions.
I just tried one and they are pretty tasty. I don’t know that I would want to eat a handful at one time, but I do think I am going to use them in salads. In fact, this pickling “juice” would be good as a salad dressing—you know, just a drizzle on some fresh greens. I am also thinking of using these on a cheese plate or antipasto platter.
I am sure that pearl onions would be a good substitute for the wild ones if foraging is not your thing. 🙂
For more wild onion recipes, click here.
(Alas, all the wild onions have been harvested. I will have to wait until next year to try a wild onion/rosemary bread.)
For more unruly rosemary recipes, click here.
Ohhhhhh, yummy.
I want wild onions so bad.
Although if I plant them, they’re not wild, right? LOL!
Maybe you could just call your onions unruly too.
As one from the frigid North I’m insanely jealous of your monster rosemary! I try every year…no success! Your mind went to salads and pickled onions, mine went to dirty martinis and gimlets!
Lol. I had not even thought about cocktails!
Mmm wow I want this to season my dinner pronto! I am not knowledgable on herbs but your rosemary plant looks fabulous 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I have seen rosemary used in some sweet dishes. In fact, I think I have had a rosemary-caramel, chocolate covered treat at a fine chocolate shop.
Fantastic! I must look out for some wild onions to make this!
I have also rosemary in my garden and it grows without any help as well! These pickled onions look so tasty and the honey I am sure gave them a very interesting touch!
I really like cooking and baking with honey.
How can you grow wild onions? I have rosemary, but I want to make this. It looks delicious.
I guess try to entice some birds to you yard that have partaken of some of the seeds. I am assuming that is how we ended up with ours. ????
Hee.hee, love the unruly rosemary!! And, I wish I was your neighbour and could benefit from the excess…I think we’ve managed to get rid of most of our snow though – lol. Love these pickled onions and I bet the taste delish with the seasonings; mmm….love the idea of honey mixed in…
Hope spring is finally headed your way!
I’m proud of you! As children we would walk up and down the ditch banks and gather the best asparagus. My mother cooked it to death–but I have forgiven her, She didn’t have the internet to guide her asparagus cooking. Non the less we did enjoy ‘the hunt’!
I have the same memory of cutting asparagus out of the bar ditch with my grandmother (who probably over-cooked it too). 🙂
Ha- we had an unruly basil plant once, but I heard that once it gets flowers it turns bitter so we started over with another plant and I told the hubs that we needed to start maintaining it so it does not get that way!
Anyhow this is a great way to use up those wild onions. I am trying to imagine the taste with the honey and rosemary in there. Very unique and no doubt tasty. Great post!
I find that basil plants are like rabbits. If you have one that flowers (and goes to seed), then you will always have plenty! 🙂
So, I’ve been reading other food bloggers recipes and they’ve made me think of these wild onions. Are these the same thing as “ramps” that everyone is blogging about lately?
No, I think ramps are more like leeks.
That’s my dad’s honey that is in the picture was wondering where you bought it. It was the best honey around It was something he was very proud of.
Must have been somewhere close to Oolagah. Thanks for the comment!