PICKLED HOT CHILLIES
When you need a peck of pickled peppers…
makes enough to fill a 500ml jar (see photo below)
300g chilies (we used padrons chillies for our batch)
2 cups (500ml) vinegar (Crittendens white wine vinegar, or Mock Orchard apple cider vinegar work really well)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
Prepare sterilsed jar, ready to fill (see instructions below).
Prick each chilli about six times with a toothpick all over.
Place vinegar, salt, bay leaves, fennel seeds and peppercorns in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and stir until salt have dissolved. Bring just to a low simmer and add chilies. Remove immediately from heat and set aside for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer the chillies to the hot sterilized jar. Pour over the hot vinegar mixture to within ½ cm from top of jar. Lightly tap jar on work surface to remove air bubbles. Seal with lids and allow to cool.
Store in a cool dark place for a month before eating.
Tip: To sterilize jar, wash preserving jar well in hot soapy water and rinse well. Remove rubber seal. Place jar upside down in a cold oven, then heat oven to 100C. When ready to use jar, remove from oven and place on a heat proof surface, such as a wooden board. Protect hands using a clean tea towel to carefully replace rubber seal on jar. The jar is now sterilized and ready to fill with hot contents.
Fiona Hammond © March 2019