One of my favorite tiny tasks in the kitchen is to quick pickle some onion or a few shallots. I can scatter it on dishes for days, adding brightness and crunch, and a few drops of the sweet and sour pickling liquid can double as a finish at the table, like a pinch of flaky salt.<\/p>\n
If you need a reason to make your own pickle today, I\u2019d like to present Jocelyn Ramirez\u2019s delicious enfrijoladas. Pur\u00e9e pinto beans with a chipotle to start the creamy, smoky sauce, them simmer it down, dipping in some lightly pan-fried tortillas. A plate of those enfrijoladas, covered in avocado, sour cream and onion soaked in citrus juice with oregano, is so comforting.<\/p>\n
Always pickle a bit more onion than you need (one big onion will go a long way!), because there are so many more possibilities for the leftovers.<\/p>\n
For example:<\/p>\n
Saut\u00e9ed mushrooms deglazed with a splash of wine and simmered with a spoon of cr\u00e8me fra\u00eeche + garlic-rubbed toast + pickled onions + lots of parsley and capers<\/p>\n
Grain salad, hard-boiled eggs or simply roasted vegetables + dressing of pickled onions + pickling liquid + olive oil + salt and pepper<\/p>\n
Crispy fried egg + hot rice + pickled onion + sliced chile soaked in the same pickling liquid for breakfast or dinner<\/p>\n
I think of pickled onion as a bonus most of the time, but it\u2019s not just an optional garnish<\/strong>. It can be essential, like in rajma and rice, the kidney beans simmered in a tomato-y sauce with garlic, ginger and green chiles.<\/p>\n I make all kinds of alternative versions of the dish, and each one is just as cozy as the next. I swap in string cheese or yogurt on top, reach for fresh tomatoes or canned. I\u2019ve used Thai chilies, serranos and jalape\u00f1os. I\u2019ve left out the garlic. But I would never, ever skip the pickled onion!<\/p>\n They\u2019re just as crucial in Nik Sharma\u2019s beautiful roasted brussels sprouts on labneh. Nik uses shallots, but if you have some pickled onion ready to go, it would work beautifully. And I bet it would be so good with some hot msemen, the flaky Moroccan bread, on the side. Follow Nargisse Benkabbou\u2019s new recipe, and use the flatbread to scoop a little bit of everything to make the perfect bite \u2014 creamy labneh, deeply browned brussels sprouts and, of course, some slightly crunchy, super juicy pickled onion.<\/p>\n Go to the recipe.<\/p>\n Go to the recipe.<\/p>\n Go to the recipe.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a basic pickle recipe that makes enough for all three dishes. It involves blanching the onion very briefly to soften its raw flavor.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2021\/09\/23\/dining\/JR-enfrijoladas-pintos-copy\/merlin_193269189_34d0a981-e8b7-4f70-b6a0-87c375ea60d8-articleLarge.jpg\")
<\/p>\nEnfrijoladas Pintos<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Brussels Sprouts With Pickled Shallots and Labneh<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Baked Rajma<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
One More Thing!<\/h2>\n