And Shirley Yarbrough reminded me this week of two simple ways to preserve the peppers in your box. There’s nothing easier. These ideas work for the banana peppers and jalapenos. Not for the bell peppers.
Ingredients:
Peppers Vinegar
Preparation:
I frequently just throw peppers in a freezer container or bag and freeze them. No processing. When I need them, I just take out the couple that I need, let them thaw just a little, and cut them up as needed for the recipe. If you don’t want the seeds, cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds before you freeze them. This is fine in anything you’re going to cook, no need to blanch the peppers.
If I think I want to have some peppers that are a little crunchy, I make a quick pickle. You can just slice them and put them in a jar with vinegar (and then you end up with pickled peppers and pepper-flavored vinegar) or you can make a more official pickle brine. These peppers work great as a component of salads or put out with cheeses and such as part of a mezze plate. The peppers preserved in just vinegar are wonderful. Do it with jalapenos and you have pickled jalapenos for those winter dishes and the flavored vinegar is wonderful on all those braised fall greens.