Step 1

Put all of the unpeeled onions in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them, leave to steep in the water for 1 minute, before tipping them into a colander to drain.

Step 2

Place the onions into the bowl again and cover them with cold water now.

Step 3

Peel the skins off the onions, making a small cut at the root end to ease the skins off.

Step 4

Once all of the onions have been peeled, layer the peeled onions with the salt in a large bowl, cover them with a clean tea towel and leave them overnight or up to 24 hours in the salt.

Step 5

The following say, drain and rinse the onions thoroughly, pat them dry and pack them into some clean and sterilised jars.

Step 6

Pour the pickling vinegar over the onions in the jars, including all the pickling spices, seal the jars and allow to mature for 4 weeks before serving.

Step 7

Make the spiced pickling vinegar: Pour the vinegar into a large saucepan and add the sugar and the pickling spices. Bring to the boil, then take the vinegar off the heat immediately, cover with a lid and leave to go cold and infuse for 24 hours.