Have you ever made something so pretty you did not want to eat it? Or open it?
These refrigerator-style pickles, make with jalapenos instead of cucumbers, are as lovely to look at as an Impressionist still life. And so much cheaper to possess.
Feeling grumpy in the morning? Open the fridge door and look at what you did! A thing of beauty with powerful flavor.
Actually, along that line, if you are grumpy, I would wait until lunch to bite into one of these flavor bombs. How to use them? You can just eat one. Or use them in burgers or Mexican food. They go exceptionally well with pork.
And the juice? For God ’s sake, don’t waste that precious pickling juice. You can use it in guacamole substituting for lime juice or add some to that salsa you wanted to make today.
For the very adventurous, you can mix some of the juice with tequila and rebottle for future use when “spicy” tequila is called for. On this front, Suzen and I are experimenting and searching for recipes to determine exact quantities. A little juice goes a long way.
Now, go practice your food art.
Bread and Butter Jalapenos
Yield: about 3 quarts
Ingredients:
- ¾ pound fresh jalapenos, about 20-30
- 1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 20 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 3 (3-inch) sprigs
- Fresh thyme, chopped
- 4 cups apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups light brown sugar
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Preparation:
Select a large glass jar about 3 quarts to 1 gallon in size. Wash it well and rinse with boiling water to sterilize. Pour the water out. Set the jar aside.
Wish the peppers and make sure they are clean, especially at the stem end. Dry thoroughly. Pack the peppers, carrots, onion, garlic, and thyme into the jar, mixing or shaking to distribute the vegetables evenly.
Heat the vinegar in a large nonreactive saucepan until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar and olive oil. Stir well until the sugar has dissolved.
Return the mixture to heat if necessary to help dissolve the sugar.
Pour the hot liquid over the peppers and stir again. Place a small plate, sterilized with boiling water, over the peppers if necessary, to keep them submerged. Set the peppers aside to cool. When cool, cover tightly and place the jar in the refrigerator for at least one day before serving.
Source: Texas Cowboy Kitchen by Grady Spears with June Naylor