Candied jalapenos. If you have had them, you understand. If you haven’t had them, you are going to treasure them.

No, this is not some kitschy candy. It’s still a jalapeno, but now with additional layers of sweetness and spice. You can eat these, of course. But their greatest usage is in transforming recipes you’ve been using traditional jalapenos for. If you like guacamole, then using these candied jalapenos — instead of dicing up fresh jalapenos or using pickled ones from a jar — gives you a strikingly different dish. The heat is still there, but now there are the new sweet and spicy overtones. It’s guacamole but now a different flavor experience that will have you puzzling about the rush of flavors in your mouth.

And, there’s a major side benefit to this recipe: the candying syrup in which the jalapenos are first cooked and then stored. That syrup is itself a serious ingredient. Back to your guacamole recipe: do you use lime juice? Instead of that tart liquid, add the sweet heat of this syrup. Start with a little, adjust the taste to suit you, and perhaps still include some lime juice to match your personal preferences.

In an earlier blog for chili nachos [https://cookingbythebook.com//blog/recipes/brians-super-chili-nachos] I suggested using candied jalapenos to create a very complex mix of flavors. In coming blogs, I’ll suggest other uses for this bright burst of heat. In a taste test, Suzen and I compared this recipe with our favorite bottled version of candied jalapenos. It was an easy verdict: homemade is best. It’s just a matter of fresh over factory.

One important note here for you. When you remove the jalapenos from the saucepan, after 4 minutes of cooking, do not worry. The jalapeno slices will look a little wilted and that intense bright, shiny green color of the raw jalapenos will be gone. Have faith. After a week in the refrigerator in that sugar syrup, the jalapenos look alive and very green.

Just another example of how good sugar can be for you.

Brian’s Candied Jalapenos

Yield: 1 pint

Ingredients:

8 large jalapenos
1 bunch scallions, washed and sliced
1 cup water
1 cup sugar plus 1 more cup sugar
¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon garlic powder
 

Preparation:

Clean and wash the jalapenos. Slice into ⅙-inch thick disks. Leave the seeds in the disks.

In a saucepan, add the water, sugar, vinegar, and spices. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. The goal is to create a slightly syrupy liquid.

Add the jalapeno and scallion slices and cook for just 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the jalapenos and scallions from the saucepan to a plate. Add the second cup of sugar to the saucepan, and return to a boil. Boil until the liquid reduces by half forming a viscous syrup.

Allow the syrup and jalapenos to cool for 10 minutes. Place the jalapenos and syrup into plastic or glass container with a secure lid.

Refrigerate for one week. The jalapenos and the syrup are then ready for multiple uses: guacamole, potato salad, …

Source: Brian O’Rourke