Pickled Peppers

I started pickling jalapeno peppers last summer, which was also my first time pickling peppers. Since I didn't blog about it last year, I might as well blog about it this summer, especially since it's so yummy.

I don't exactly know how or what got me into pickling. I do know that on a whim I decided to follow a recipe posted by David Lebovitz, hoping for decent results. I purchased jalapeno peppers from the farmer's market and the requisite ingredients. So what was the pickled result? Crispy, tangy, sour, slightly sweet, and HOT peppers. I've also used this recipe to pickle onions and has also turned out yummy too.

This summer, in addition to just pickled jalapenos, I've also decided to try a mix of hot peppers. I mixed together jalapenos, cayenne peppers, and some smaller Thai peppers (I think). I can't wait to see if this trio turns out yummy too. By the way, these are known as "refrigerator" pickled peppers because the peppers are not canned, but left in the refrigerator to pickle.

Pickled Hot PeppersRecipe
Source: David Lebovitz
Amount: Makes three quarts of brine

1 pound (450g) fresh jalapeno peppers, washed (see Note)
2 1/2 cups (625ml) water
2 1/2 cups (625ml) vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar)
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons coarse salt, such as kosher or pickling salt (do not use regular table salt)
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons black peppercorns

1. Stab each pepper three times or make slits in the pepper with a sharp paring knife and place them in a large glass preserving jar.

2. In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the other ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.

3. Remove from heat and pour the brine over the peppers. Place the lid on the jar and let cool. Once cool, refrigerate for at least a week before using, if possible. (You can use them sooner, but Michael says they're worth the wait.)

Serve whole, with Mexican dishes, or remove the seeds then chop and use to season any recipe that is improved by a little bit of sweet heat.

Storage: I've kept pickles like this for up to a few weeks, under refrigeration, without any problems. But like anything preserved, you should take precautions. If you wish to preserve them longer, you can use these canning instructions and guidelines.

Note: You can use another chile pepper in place of the japeños.

Seed Saving

Like many frugal gardeners in the blogsphere, I collect seeds from spent flowers to further expand my flower garden for less, especially if I do not have the flowers in my garden. Of course, for the flowers in my garden, I could let nature do its work and have the flowers reseed itself, but sometimes mother nature can be quite harsh during the winter time and the seeds may not survive the winter.

This spring I didn't get much chance to enjoy my annual pink poppies. Unfortunately, I've been quite busy with work and my home, and only got a passing glance at my pink poppies. Yet, last week I noticed that all of the poppy stalks had dried out. At that moment I made a mental note that I had to collect the seeds. So today, I took an empty envelope and shook all of the pods into the envelope, carefully collecting as many of the seeds as possible. After I emptied all of the poppy seed heads, I sealed the envelope and labeled it with the month and year. I'm already dreaming of next year's pink poppies.