Hot Sweet and Sour Pickles

Vary the amount of spice to suit your taste, but the heat from the hot pepper combined with the sweet bread & butter taste is wonderful. The pickled onions and peppers can be chopped and make a great accompaniment for a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses. Next time pickling cucumbers are in abundance at your market, try these!

Pickling Veggies

• cucumbers (5-10 depending on size), cut into slices
• white onion 2-3 medium, sliced in half-rings
• red, yellow bell peppers 1 each, cut into strips and then cut into chunks
• Jalapeno – 2, thinly sliced (with seeds)
• garlic – 4-5 cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup kosher salt

Prepare vegetables and put in large bowl. Add the salt and toss everything to combine. Cover with ice cubes and leave it on the counter for 3 hours.

After the 3 hours, prepare the brine.

Drain vegetables in a colander and remove any un-melted ice. Pack jars with vegetable mixture, leaving 1/2inch head space

Brine

• 3 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water (up to 2 cups)
• 1.5 teaspoons turmeric
• 1.5 teaspoons celery seed
• 1.5 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1.5 teaspoons dill weed
• 2 TBSP mustard seed
• 2 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 cups sugar

Optional: Black pepper corns, mustard seed, allspice seed, crushed bay leaves,

Combine all brine ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Cover pickles with boiling brine. Seal jars and store in refrigerator for one week.