Recipe: UAI Pickled Peppers

During my time studying with Hugh Lovel at the Union Agricultural Institute, we had many bumper crops, so I spent a lot of time pickling them. We were fortunate to have fresh mountain spring water, an amazing honey farm next door, and biodynamic veggies. This tasty mixture can be used for pickling vegetables such as cucumbers, okra, or peppers, or as a delicious salad dressing.

Makes 2 or 3 quart jars

Ingredients

  • 3 cups mountain spring water

  • 2 cups apple cider vinegar

  • 1 cup unrefined (fully evaporated) sea salt

  • 1⁄2 cup pickling spice

  • 1⁄2 cup smashed garlic cloves

  • 1⁄2 cup thinly sliced fresh ginger

  • 1⁄2 cup fresh dill (seeds optional)

  • 1⁄4 cup honey

  • 6 to 8 pounds Anaheim-type chili peppers

Directions

  1. Make the brine: In a nonreactive saucepan combine the spring water, vinegar, sea salt, pickling spice, garlic, ginger, dill, and honey. Cook, stir- ring, over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes, and then keep warm while you prepare the peppers.

  2. Wearing latex gloves, cut the tops off the peppers and slit the sides to flick out the membranes along with all the seeds.

  3. Strain the brine.

  4. Pack the meats of the peppers into quart jars as tightly as possible, then cover the contents of each jar with the hot brine, leaving 1⁄2 inch of head space.

  5. Can using the boiling water-bath method for 15 minutes

    • Water bath method :

      1. To can pickles, set a wire rack in the bottom of a canning kettle. Fill several quart-size canning jars with water and immerse in water in the canning kettle. Jars should be covered with at least 1 inch of water. Bring to a rolling boil while you prepare the pickling brine.

      2. In a separate, smaller pot, heat the canning lids in simmering water to soften the rubber seal. Using tongs, remove the jars from the water, pour the water from the jars back into the kettle, and set the hot jars on your work surface.

      3. Pack the jars tightly with peppers (or whatever vegetable you are pick- ling). Fill the jars with hot pickling brine, leaving 1⁄2 inch of space at the top. Wipe the rims with a clean towel, then place a hot lid on the mouth of each jar, seal side down. Place a band on the jar and, holding it with a towel to protect your hands, tighten the band until it just stops turning.

      4. Use the tongs to place the packed and sealed jars back in the water bath. Return to a boil and then set a timer for 15 minutes.

      5. After 15 minutes, remove the jars and place on a kitchen towel to cool completely. If the jars are properly sealed, the button on the lid will be down and will not move when pressed. (If any of the jars do not seal, store in the refrigerator and use in the next week or two.)

RecipeDaron JoffeSustaining