Pickled Peppers

Some like it hot - and some don't. I like this particular recipe because it yields a mellow spicy hot sweetness that most people tolerate and like. You can change the heat by how you process the peppers. Leaving the ribs makes a spicier hot pepper, leaving the ribs and seeds, well that is one hot pickled pepper!

2 cups water

1 cup organic raw apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar of choice, such as evaporated cane juice

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt, or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 red jalapeno pepper

1 green jalapeno pepper

1 yellow banana pepper

1.        Rinse peppers then dry using a paper towel. Place a pepper on the cutting board and cut off the stem end, turn pepper on end and insert small paring knife into pepper cavity and gently twist to dislodge ribs and seeds, being careful to not cut through the wall of the pepper. Rinse pepper inside and out with cool water. Return to cutting board to chop pepper into large rings; place peppers in 4-cup (1 quart) glass jar.

2.        Add water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and sea salt; place on lid and shake vigorously to dissolve sugar and salt.

3.        Cure peppers at room temperature for 1 hour then refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Drain liquid away prior to serving, or use a slotted spoon to remove peppers from brine then serve.

Yield: 4 cups (1 quart)

Prep: 10 minutes

Cure: 1 hour, room temp

Storage: Refrigerate after 1st hour; consume within 2 weeks