Odd Pairing, Awesome Outcome : "Fickled" Onions

I take NO credit for the creation of this one.  This is something I discovered about a year ago at a pot-luck Christmas dinner.  I'm not entirely sure of it's origins, the only thing I'm certain of is that the woman who brought it was Colombian and it's something she's been making and eating most of her life.  I also never got the actual name of this.  Sorry.  It was a pretty straightforward and self-explanatory thing, so I didn't have to ask what was in it.  I did, however have to develop the method.

Basically it's like a pickle, but it's not cucumbers.  It's onions.  Red ones.  "Say whattt?"  Yep, red onions and it's not vinegar based either.  "Ok, now I'm confused, how do you pickle something without using vinegar?"

Lots of lime juice and a little salt.  "But lime juice is gonna break down, vinegar is to preserve, if you're not using vinegar, it's not gonna keep long, amirite?"  You are, and I never said it was going to keep like that 5 year old jar of peppers in the back of your fridge that the Scoville scale couldn't even rate by now.  I just said that it's basically a pickle.  Same principle, different execution.  "Red onions are so strong, that doesn't even seem edible."  Dude, trust me, it is.  Most of the Latin/South American/Hispanic/however you want to categorize them dishes that I've had, had some SERIOUSLY bold flavors in it.  Ever bitten straight into a wad of cilantro?  Instantly, you either love it or hate it and I for one, love it.  Huge fan of cilantro AND lime. But that's another story.

If you wish to try this, and I HIGHLY suggest that you do, here's what you'll need:

2 med-large red onions, peeled and thinly sliced into rings or half-moons
5 limes, (These can be hard to squeeze, so roll them on the counter with gentle pressure, then microwave for NO MORE than 30 seconds to help release the juice.)
Approximately 1-2 tsp of kosher salt, depending on how much onion you have 
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Large bowl or container with a TIGHT fitting lid (chinese take out soup/sauce containers are great for this)

Slice your onions and separate them into individual pieces as best you can in your bowl or container, making one layer at a time, sprinkling your salt and pepper for each layer.

Cut limes in half and start squeezing!  You want enough juice that you can shake it around like a marinade.  About 1 inch of standing juice on the bottom of your container, depending on how much you're making, is a good way to measure it. If you're only using 1 medium onion, you'd only want about 1/2 inch of standing juice.  Unless you're a lime freak like I am, then add as much as you'd like.

This is a small batch after about 4 hours of sitting. 

Once you've added your desired amount of juice, mix it through with your hand or a fork to get it started, then cover your bowl/container and SHAKE IT!  Just like you would for a dressing.  You want every single piece of onion to coat itself.

Place in fridge for at least 20 minutes.  Come back and check on it after that time is passed and you should notice that the onions have started to turn clear, wilt and turn the juice purple. SUCCESS!

This will keep for about about a week, if it lasts that long.  After that time frame has passed, it's no longer food, it's Darwinism.  You wouldn't think that it's that good, but you'd be surprised.  Somehow, the salt and the lime cuts the super strong flavor in the onion down a notch or two. 

You can eat it as an accompaniment like you would banana peppers, make it a side dish, or a topping.  My favorite use for it is on steak or a piece of grilled chicken.  The liquid works WONDERS on Spanish rice (I'll have a recipe up on that one later) or even plain white rice!