Spicy Pickled Onions

• 1 lb. small shallots or pickling onions, peeled
• 0.75 pint water
• 4 Tbsp. salt
• 12 fl.oz. malt vinegar
• 1 blade mace
• 1 tsp. allspice, whole
• 1 clove
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1–2 dried red chilis, whole

First set yourself up with the jars you're going to store the pickles in.

Peel the onions and see if they're all going to fit in one jar or if it'll take two. You want the onions to almost fill the jar. If two, I recommend using two chilis, one per jar, but if they'll all fit in one jar, you should decide how spicy you want them, and use one or two chilis accordingly.

Make a brine solution with the water and salt. Soak the onions in the brine for 24 hours. Drain them and rinse them well.

Place all of the remaining ingredients in a pot and bring them just to the boil, then remove the pot from the heat and set it aside for 2 hours to let the flavours infuse.

Put the onions in the jar or jars, packing them in well. Pour the spiced vinegar over, taking care to distribute the spices evenly. Seal the jars and label them with a "Do not Open before" date that's two months in the future.

Then you have to wait....