 of mini bell peppers for this recipe, which yielded about 3 cups of juicy pickled peppers. data-pin-do=)
Pickled Pepper Poppers by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
November 23, 2021
This is a quick and vibrant pickle: a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy, a little bit piquant and a little bit fragrant. I envision it piled on an after-the-feast turkey sandwich or as an accompaniment to a holiday cheese board. I used one bag (1-pound) of mini bell peppers for this recipe, which yielded about 3 cups of juicy pickled peppers.
- Prep: 1 hrs
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: about 3 cups of pickled veggies with juices.
Ingredients
1 bag (16 ounces) mini sweet bell peppers
2 whole carrots, peeled
2 large shallots, peeled
1 ¼ cup water
1 ¼ cup white granulated sugar
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon mild white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar (Distilled white
vinegar is too harsh.)
The Aromatics:
1 bay leaf
4-5 whole black or white peppercorns
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 very small dried whole red pepper, about ½-inch long
3-4 strips fresh lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Optional: 1-inch piece of vanilla bean
Optional: ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
Directions
Prepare the peppers. Wash the peppers and shake off excess water. Cut off the stems and use the handle of a spoon to gently scrape out the seeds and membranes. Tap each pepper to remove any remaining seeds. Cut each pepper across into ¼-inch rings. Set aside.
Peel the carrots and the shallots. Slice the carrots on the diagonal, into ¼-inch slices. Then cut each carrot slice into ‘sticks ‘along the length of each carrot slice. (This is a classic French knife cut called: ‘julienne’.) Set aside.
Slice the shallots across the grain into 1/8 inch slices. Set aside.
Make the pickling liquid. Choose a stainless-lined or enamel-coated 2-quart saucepan ((like a Le Creuset Dutch oven). Combine the water, granulated sugar and the white wine vinegar. Set the pan on the burner and slowly bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Add the ‘aromatics’, the bay leaf, peppercorns, fennel seeds, red pepper pod, lemon peel strips and vanilla bean and coriander seeds, if using. Add the tablespoon of fresh lemon juice as well. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes to thicken slightly. You want to achieve a thin maple syrup-like texture. Add the prepared vegetables: the carrots, shallots and bell peppers. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir well to combine. Bring back to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn the pan off and let everything steep and cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
Serve, partially drained and piled in a glass bowl that will showcase its glistening beauty.
