results for pickled peppers

Pickled Hot Banana Peppers

09/04/2013

Over Labor Day, my husband and I traveled from Florida to Southern Illinois to visit his family. His parents have a large and beautiful garden that is always bursting at the seams with ripe vegetables this time of year. Their one acre gives them enough corn, peppers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, okra, and beans for them to last the winter. I’m always amazed and envious of their crop. Their soil is hard Southern Illinois clay, yet their yield and fruit is always tremendous. I think it’s because my inlaws’ secret garden ingredient is love.

Ingredients (makes 6 quarts):

Hot peppers! Any kind, as many as you can gather or grow

1 quart cider vinegar
2 quarts water
1 c canning salt
12 cloves garlic
1 T turmeric (optional)
red hot pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:

Boil your six pint jars and lids to sterilize them for at least 10 minutes. In another pot, mix together the vinegar, water and salt. I added turmeric to my banana peppers to give them a more yellow color, but if you’re not using banana peppers, you can leave that out. Bring this to a boil for 5 minutes. While you’re waiting for the liquid to boil, put 2 cloves of garlic in each jar, once the jars are sterilized. If you want to add a teaspoon of red hot pepper flakes, add that to the jar, too. From there, add your cut peppers.

You can either leave in the seeds and veins, or take them out depending on your spiciness tolerance. Once the jars are packed full, pour in the vinegar/water mixture. Put the lid on, and screw the cap tight.

They need to stay in the jar at least two weeks for them to pickle. After that, they’ll be just fine in a dark cupboard for a year or more. Add them to sandwiches, use them as pizza toppings, or just eat them plain. This way your garden’s goodness will last you year round!

Quick Pickled Vegetables

10/06/2015

Due to the nice fall weather, I’ve neglected my garden. I knew my crazy yard-long beans were way done, but I had just left the crazy mess of vines alone. But I came out one day last week and found that another climbing bean that I forgot I planted had taken over and there were green beans everywhere! Surprise gifts from gardens make me so happy!

I decided to pickle some of them since they were in abundance. I used a recipe from my new fabulous cookbook (thank you, Sally!!!) from Bert Gill and Erika Nelson, our local chef and artist. Bert puts delicious pickled things on many of his salads he serves at his restaurant in town, the Blue Gill; I’m excited to create similar ones at home. What’s nice about this recipe is that it only takes 24 hours to brine, unlike my other pickle recipes, which take about a month. However, they have to be kept in the refrigerator and will only last about a week.

I amended Bert’s recipe and just added the veggies I had from my garden. He includes corn, green tomatoes, okra, fennel, and experiments with spices and herbs such as thyme, cloves, mustard seed, nutmeg, and paprika. Basically it sounds as if you can’t go too wrong.

Ingredients (makes one pint mason jar):

1 c green beens
2 yellow banana peppers
2 jalapenos (optional)
small bunch green onions, most of the green tip cut off
1 t black peppercorns
1 T Dijon mustard
2 T kosher salt
1/2 c sugar
1 c water
1/4 c vinegar

Instructions:

Trim the edges off the beans, and cut the peppers into strips. Combine the mustard, salt, sugar, water, and vinegar into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. While cooking, put all the washed vegetables and peppercorns in a cleaned mason jar. Pour the boiling liquid over the vegetables. Screw on a lid, let cool, then put in the refrigerator. They’ll be ready to eat in 24 hours.

Quinoa & Beans Bowl with Peppers & Chicken

05/21/2015

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I copied this recipe from our friend Ryan, who copied it from a good restaurant downtown. I recommend you copy it from me!

I used our banana peppers which just became ripe, but you can throw anything or omit anything your taste buds tell you to.

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken thighs
1 T paprika
1 T cumin
1 t ground coriander
Olive oil
S&P
Peppers (I used 1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow, and 2 banana peppers), chopped in strips
1 head broccoli, cut in florets
onion, chopped in strips
1 can beans
1 c uncooked quinoa

Garnishes:
cilantro
avocado
sriracha
pickled jalapeños

Instructions:

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Put your chicken on a baking pan, and drizzle olive oil on top. Mix all dry spices in a bowl, and put the rub on both sides of the chicken. Next, chop your peppers and onion into strips, and broccoli into florets. Put onto a different baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and S&P. Cook both side by side in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

While cooking, start your quinoa. First, rinse your grains. Next, put them in a pot, and cook 1 c quinoa in 2 cups of water (I used 1 c water, 1 c chicken stock, actually. But to make it easier, just use water). Cook it like rice: bring to a boil, then simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the grains are fluffy. Heat the beans in a different pot.

To serve, put the beans and quinoa on bottom, and layer with everything else on top.

Shrimp Tacos

12/05/2014

My comfort food isn’t fried chicken or ice cream or meat & potatoes; it’s instead spicy things inserted in a taco shell. There are countless permutations, and I’ll admit I probably love them all. Here is just one more to add to the list used with the shrimp from our summer catch and our numerous ripe limes. But feel free to add anything else you deem fit to wrap in a soft shell.

Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp, peeled
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 T chili powder
1 t cumin
Olive oil
S&P
Dash of crushed red peppers
Avocado, cut into slices
1 package tortilla shells
Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Chop your veggies, and peel your shrimp. Once finished, add the oil to a saute pan that has been heated to medium heat. Add all the spices to the hot oil, and stir for one minute. Add the vegetables, and cook for 5 minutes, or until they’re cooked. (While the veggies are cooking, heat up the tortillas.) Add the shrimp, and cook only for 3-4 minutes, or until pink throughout.

Serve on the tortilla with cheese, sliced avocado, cilantro, pickled peppers if you’d like, hot sauce, and the juice of a lime wedge.

Sweet-Corn Chowder with Tomato Salsa

05/18/2015

Gary and I attended a Potluck Heaven party at our friends Lauren and Jason’s this past weekend to honor Forage, our community seed-saving garden. We had slow-cooked pork, jambalaya with local sausage and shrimp, chocolate tortes, and so many vegetables from everyone’s garden: beets, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, you name it. (To these events, our Forage friends bring their A-game.)

I made cold corn chowder from good Iowa sweet-corn grown and brought from home. Since sweet-corn season is around the corner, I figured it’s okay to eat the last of it from the freezer. Our tomatoes in our Florida garden are just becoming ripe; they accompanied the salsa well. I added our pickled jalapeños as a garnish along with the bacon.

I amended this recipe from Summer Miller’s New Prairie Kitchen which I found out about when I heard her interviewed on NPR. Believe me when I say this Midwestern girl knows how to make sweet-corn shine; Ms. Miller’s recipe below is good enough to bathe in.

Ingredients:

Salsa ingredients:
1 poblano chile
1 jalapeño, chopped
2 large ears fresh sweet corn, kernels cut from the cob
1 large heirloom tomato, seeded and chopped
3 T olive oil
1/2 chopped red onion
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
2 t kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

Chowder ingredients:
4 c chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 T olive oil
8 large ears sweet-corn, kernels cut from cob
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
1 ½ c heavy cream
5 T cornstarch
5 T cold water
S&P
10 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Instructions:

To make the salsa:
First, preheat the broiler. Place the poblano on a baking sheet and roast under the broiler for about 15 to 20 minutes. Using a pair of tongs, rotate the chile once the skin starts to blacken, about every 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a bowl, cover with a dishtowel, and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, add the corn kernels, tomato, olive oil, onion, cilantro, S&P, garlic, lemon juice, and jalapeño.

Once the poblano is cool to the touch, the blistered and blackened skin should pull off easily. Remove and discard the skin, seeds, and stem. Chop the poblano and add it to the bowl with the corn mixture. Stir, then refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

To make the chowder:
In a large pot, add the oil and heat to medium-high. Saute the onion and garlic for about 5-7 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the chopped corn and rosemary, and cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add the stock, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Purée approximately ½ of the chowder using an immersion blender, or in batches if using a blender, returning the puréed portion to the pot. Add the cream and bring the chowder to a simmer over low heat.

Mix the cornstarch and cold water together in a small cup, then add this mixture to the chowder while it is simmering. Stir to thicken. Season to taste with the S&P. To serve, divide the chowder among bowls. Top each bowl with some of the corn salsa, pickled jalapeños, and crumbled bacon. It can be served hot, room temperature, or cold.

Pesto Pizza

09/13/2014

We planted an heirloom variety sweet basil this year, and it’s been surprisingly slow to bolt in this heat. Our Thai basil plant flowered long ago. When leafy plants such as herbs and lettuce flower and make seeds, the leaves turn bitter and are no longer good to eat. Therefore, I thought it would be best to harvest this guy before he went to seed, too.

I made pesto, and the recipe for that can be found here. Pesto is great on pasta, a bread dipping sauce, and on pizza.

Ingredients:

Dough:
1/2 c warm water
1 1/4 t dry yeast
1 1/2 c bread flour
1 t salt
olive oil for coating bowl

Toppings:
1/2 c pesto
1/4 c roasted red peppers
1 small can pickled artichoke hearts
1 chicken breast, cooked
Handfull Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 c feta cheese

Instructions:

Mix all the dough ingredients either by hand or with a dough hook on a mixer for 1 minute. Let stand for 5 minutes. Kneed with your hands on a floured surface for 5 minutes or so. Form into a ball, put in a bowl coated with olive oil. Cover with saran wrap and let sit in a warm-ish place for at least 1 hour.

Once the dough is looking ready, heat your oven to 500 degrees. Next, roll out your dough. Put a layer of pesto on the dough and top with all the chopped toppings. (I grill the chicken breast first, but you can also use leftover chicken from the fridge, too.) Put it in the oven on a peal for 7-10 minutes, or until the crust begins to brown. Serve with a chopped green salad.

Meyer Lemon Margaritas

07/07/2014

I just love the 4th of July. Friends, fireworks, and freedom all rank high on my list of good things. This holiday was extra special since it was spent with both near and far friends in Amelia Island soaking up the sun and sea.

We indulged in many of our homemade things: our sausage, gin and tonics, pickled jalapenos, alligator and fish tacos, and these Meyer Lemon margs made from the (frozen) juice from our lemons.

{The marsh off the back porch.}

{Nearby live oaks}

Ingredients (makes one drink):

1 1/2 jigger of tequila
1/2 jigger of Contreau
1 jigger of freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (or juice from a regular lemon)
1 jigger of simple syrup (1 c water + 1 c sugar, brought to a boil, then cooled)

Add all ingredients to a glass with ice. Mix well. And toast to good things.

Dill Pickles

06/09/2014

My friend Melissa came over yesterday to pickle 19 pounds of cucumbers she was fortunate enough to obtain.

We spent the afternoon chopping and canning. With Gary helping along too, my mom’s quote rings true: many hands makes light work. The time breezed by, and before you knew it, we had about 10 jars each to add to our canning collection. We pickled beans from our garden as well using the same recipe.

Ingredients (makes 6 quarts):

At least 10 cucumbers, sliced in spears
1 quart cider vinegar
2 quarts water
1 c canning salt

For each quart jar, add:
1 bunch fresh dill weed
1/2 t mustard seeds
1/2 t dill seeds
1/2 t jalapeno flakes (or crushed red pepper flakes)
2 cloves garlic

Instructions:

Boil your six pint jars and lids to sterilize them for at least 10 minutes. In another pot, mix together the vinegar, water and salt. Bring this to a boil for 5 minutes. While you’re waiting for the liquid to boil, add the spices and garlic to each jar, once the jars are sterilized. After that, add your cut cukes. Stuff them in a jar, and pour the boiling liquid up to the neck. Put on the lid and screw it down tightly. After the liquid cools, the vacuum seal should pop. Your pickles take about a month to cure, and should be good for up to a year.

Recipes

04/27/2014

Recipes by ingredient

Apples
Candied apples | Applesauce | Salmon and dried apple salad

Asparagus
Cream of asparagus soup

Alligator
Alligator sausage and crawfish casserole | Alligator gumbo | Gator tacos | Fried alligator poppers

Basil
Pesto | Drunken noodles | Thai basil chicken stir-fry

Beets
Pickled beet salad | Roasted vegetables with avocado | Beet and goat cheese sandwich

Broccoli
Stir-fry with broccoli | Broccoli salad with miso dressing

Cabbage
Chinese cabbage salad

Cauliflower
Cauliflower gratin | Pecorino Pasta with cauliflower | Roasted vegetables with avocado

Cherries
Granola with dried cherries | Chocolate bark with oranges and cherries | Dried cherry scones

Cucumber
Salmon with cucumber tzatziki

Gardens
Rooftop gardens | Raised garden beds

Grapefruits
Palmoa | Green salad with grapefruits and almonds

Greens
Collard Greens | Curried chicken salad with lettuce

Lemongrass
Thai shrimp and pork meatballs on lemongrass skewers | Shrimp and lemongrass soup | Chicken satay with peanut sauce | Chocolate lemongrass mousse | Lemongrass ribs

Lettuce
Lettuce cup appetizers | Curried chicken salad on lettuce | Green salad with grapefruits and almonds

Okra
Indian eggplant with okra

Onions
Ham and bean soup with green onions

Oranges
Orange-Almond caramels | Orange bitters | Chocolate bark with oranges and cherries

Passion Fruit
Passion fruit cocktail

Pineapple
Spicy pineapple and shrimp skewers

Peas
Black-eyed peas and zipper peas

Radishes
Fajitas with radishes and feta | Radish slaw with dill

Rhubarb
Rhubarb custard pie

Sweet potatoes
Sweet potato and black bean chili

Walnuts
Walnut feta dip

Chili

01/22/2014

When it’s chilly outside, there’s nothing better than a big bowl of chili to warm the belly and soul. Okay, okay, I can’t complain about cold weather living in Florida, but we have gotten a touch of the Polar Vortex down here. Temperatures are suppose to get in the mid-20s tonight, which calls for covering our poor garden plants in hope that they survive. This is nothing compared to the sub-zero temperatures in the Midwest, I realize. But our weather here now still calls for warm and hearty soups.

And remember all that summer goodness that we canned back when the temperature was warm? That’s where this comes into play! My canned cupboard is my “happy place,” as Gary calls it. I open it up and it gives me solace knowing that we have lots of pickled goodness to survive on just in case of the Zombie Apocalypse. This chili recipe uses our tomato juice and our pickled jalapenos.

Ingredients:

1 quart of fresh tomato juice (you can buy this if you didn’t juice tomatoes last summer, of course.)
1 lb ground beef (or turkey, or you can omit this and add more beans to make it vegetarian)
1 can chili beans
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c chili powder
3 T cumin
1 t cinnamon
1 red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
S&P
pickled jalapenos for garnish

Instructions:

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Brown the meat until done (7-9 minutes). Remove the meat, and set aside. Wipe out most of the extra grease, but leave some in the pot to brown the chopped onion and pepper. Saute them both until done (5-7 minutes). Next, throw the meat back into the pot with the vegetables. Add the tomato juice, and all the beans. Drain and rinse all of them except the chili beans (they normally come with a good sauce that’s good to leave in.) Add the spices–you can play with adding more or less of anything, too. Add dried red pepper flakes if you’d like, or brown sugar, or a couple of squares of dark chocolate if you’re so inclined. Let simmer on the stove top for at least an hour to let the flavors merge. Serve with cornbread (and jalapeno jam from your cupboard, too!)

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results for pickled peppers

Pickled Hot Banana Peppers

Quick Pickled Vegetables

Quinoa & Beans Bowl with Peppers & Chicken

Shrimp Tacos

Sweet-Corn Chowder with Tomato Salsa

Pesto Pizza

Meyer Lemon Margaritas

Dill Pickles

Recipes

Chili

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