A Better Pickled Pepper...

I don't remember exactly when I discovered pickled jalapenos, but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with KFC and a bucket of extra crispy dark meat because my mom used to love the extra crispy kind. That was years before I learned to appreciate the crispyfatty goodness that is fried chicken skin, but I still don't care for KFC's breading, which must be equal parts 11 secret herbs and spices, flour, and SALT. That shizz is wayyyyy too salty. But I digress...

Having grown up eating and loving tangy, spicy pickled stuff, I took to pickled jalapenos like white on rice, and I can't remember a time we didn't order pickled jalapenos with our KFC unless we had the misfortune to stumble on a location that didn't sell them.

I could crunch on these all day...

But as much as I loved the things, I had two beefs with them:

1) unlike my beloved kimchi, they were squishy, AND
2) unlike my beloved kimchi, they squirted.

So I took to slicing the jalapenos and quick pickling them and ended up with what I think is a zestier, crunchier and prettier pickled pepper that isn't soggy, doesn't squirt, and can be eaten an hour after making. It's yummy with fried chicken and Mexican food of course, but it's also one of my favorite accompaniments to noodle soups.

If you look real close, you can see the orange in the veins.
These suckers estan muy picantes.

CRUNCHY QUICK PICKLED JALAPENOS
Makes about 25 ounces

- about 1/3 pound of jalapenos, 5 or 6 large ones, sliced on the diagonal in roughly 1/8-inch thick pieces (tips on how to pick them here)
- 1 medium carrot, sliced on the diagonal in roughly 1/8-inch thick pieces
- 1/2 a medium onion, sliced into roughly 1/4-inch thick slices
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed or sliced into 2 or 3 pieces

- 1+1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar

- 2 Tablespoons neutral oil
- 1/2 Tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 bay leaf

1) Prep a minimum 24 ounce jar or tight-lidded plastic container by washing with soap, rinsing with hot water, and drying thoroughly.

2) Pack your vegetables into the jar or container, layering the peppers, onions and carrots in alternating layers. Add the garlic wherever you like. Because it's crushed, the flavor will quickly and easily steep into the vinegar.

A repurposed 25 oz. kosher dill jar...

top view :)

3) Make the brine in a medium bowl by mixing the vinegar, salt and sugar and stirring or whisking until all the salt and sugar are dissolved.

4) Pour the brine over the vegetables.

5) Bloom the oregano and bay leaf by heating the oil to medium hot and then stirring in the herbs - just a quick stir or two should do it. The oil should be hot enough that the herbs sizzle when they touch it.

6) Pour the oil with the herbs into the pickle.

If you're using a jar, screw the lid on tight and give it a few gentle shakes to distribute the oil and herbs and get some of the brine on the veg at the top of the jar. If a lidded plastic container, give the vegetables a few gentle packs by pushing down with a spoon. This packing motion should distribute the oil and herbs throughout the brining liquid. In any event, the oil will float back up to the top, but its flavor will be imparted to the brine before.

oil floats :P

7) Keep in the refrigerator. Pickles will be ready to eat in an hour and will keep at least a couple of weeks.

With last night's winner winner chicken dinner... :)

I usually re-use the brine once after all the pickles are eaten by adding a little more salt and as much veg as will fit into the container.

I think you'll like this (not quite) peck of pickled peppers. :)

shinae