Pickled Whole Hot Peppers

Pickled Whole Hot Peppers

For this pickle I have used Cascabella peppers, in their glorious colors of yellow, orange, and

red. But you can use any small hot fleshy pepper, such as Floral Gem (a similar wax-type

pepper), jalapeño, or hot cherry. Give a jar of these pickled peppers to some chile-head

friends and stick around to watch them gasp and sweat.

Makes 4 pints

8 small garlic cloves, peeled

8 whole allspice berries

16 whole black peppercorns

2 small Mediterranean bay leaves, torn in half

2 pounds small, fleshy fresh hot peppers, such as Cascabella, each slit twice lengthwise, stems trimmed to

about 1/4 inch

2 cups cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or distilled white vinegar (at least 5 percent)

2 cups water

4 teaspoons pickling salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1. Divide the garlic, allspice, peppercorns, and pieces of bay leaf among 4 pint mason

jars. Add the hot peppers.

2. In a nonreactive saucepan, bring to a boil the vinegar, water, and salt. Pour the hot

liquid over the peppers, leaving slightly more than 1/2 inch headspace. Wait about 5

minutes for the liquid to fill the cavities of the peppers, and add more liquid as needed.

Then pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into each jar. Close the jars with two-piece caps

(make sure the rims are free of oil, which could prevent a good seal). Process the jars

for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath.

3. Store the cooled jars in a cool, dry, dark place for at least 3 weeks before eating the

peppers.