I admit, we grow jalapenos just so we can pickle them. These are so delicious, keep for up to 6 months, and leave you with a scrumptious morsel for enriching enchiladas, chilis, burgers, soups, or my favorite: eggs.
We conjured this up out of necessity one summer when we harvested an abundance of jalapenos, yet truth be told, if we hadn't grown one I'd get some at the store just to make these.
Being refrigerator pickles means no canning steam or hot production, and you can throw these together in the time it takes to boil the vinegar. These are a great example of how pickling transforms an ingredient. Fresh I can only take so many slices raw. Pickled jalapenos though, I'd lather on top of a baked potato, taco, pizza, bake into cornbread, and yes, start the day with for breakfast.
Pickled Jalapenos: makes 2 8oz jars, or one pint jar
Ingredients:
7-9 jalapenos (enough to fill the jars when sliced)
2-4 whole peeled garlic cloves size depending
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1//2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1½ cups white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Slice the jalapenos, leaving the seeds in tact, and place into your jar(s) along with the garlic, coriander, and cumin seeds. When I made these today I didn't have cumin seeds, things like this happen. I added about 1/4 tsp of ground cumin into each 8 oz jar, or 1/2 tsp for a pint sized one. If using ground spices they will infuse into the vinegar more intensely than so just use about half. There is no need to go out and buy a whole jar of either if you don't regularly use them. Most recipes are a bit forgiving, or the best ones are at least. *I do wear plastic gloves when slicing hot peppers mostly because the oils never completely come off with just one or two hand washings, and with our 2 yr old son I know no residue from my hands will affect his skin. I bought a box of latex gloves at the super market over a year ago, I don't use them often, yet if needed they're on hand.
In a saucepan bring the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil until the sugar and salt dissolve.
Carefully pour the hot mixture over the jalapenos just to cover. I usually have a scant bit of liquid left. Place the lid on, label with the date, and let cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate at least for 24hrs before eating, and up to six months. If you wanted these to last longer, you could by all means can them and process until the lid is sealed.
My favorite way to eat these is in something called "The Cindy Wrap," created by this wonderful loving chef named Michael at a roadside farm stand cafe in Westminster, VT, called Cafe Loco. The Cindy Wrap is a breakfast wrap with scrambled eggs, spinach, cheddar cheese, flavor packed breakfast potatoes, and pickled jalapenos. It's divine. I'm fairly certain these fueled a bulk of my graduate school and early teaching meals. Over a decade later, every time I eat pickled jalapenos I think of this place. Some pockets of community will always have a piece of my heart; New England has several. If you find yourself on Rt. 5 in Westminster, VT, please stop by Harlow's Farm and Cafe Loco, both are gems.
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