Picklese...You Have To Try This!!!

[frydad4]

I just made 2 batches of this. Amazing.
It was recommended to me by a Haitian friend of mine.
The idea is to keep replenishing the same jar as contents get low.
Have to keep everything under the vinegar. Enjoy.

Picklese
Pikliz - Vinaigre Piquant

by Mirta Yurnet-Thomas

Pikliz, or pickled scotch bonnet peppers, is used to give flavor to many dishes.
It is also placed on the table at mealtime so that you can sprinkle as much as you want over your food. Every Haitian kitchen has pikliz in the cupboard or refrigerator.

Yield: Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:

6 Scotch bonnet peppers
2 cups thinly sliced or shredded cabbage
½ cup thinly sliced or shredded carrots
¼ cup thinly sliced or shredded onion
¼ cup green peas (frozen)
4 whole cloves
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
8 to 10 peppercorns (optional)
3 cups vinegar
Method:
Snip off the stem of the peppers, cut each into 4 pieces, and keep the seeds.
Place hot peppers, cabbage, carrots, onion, green peas, cloves, salt, and peppercorns in a quart-size jar, then add the vinegar.
Close jar tightly and let sit at least 24-48 hours before using. Once you commence using it, store in the refrigerator.
It lasts for months.

 

[frydad4]

awesome! Glad you like it! It does get better with age.
I personally like the onions and peas best, so I go a little heavy on those.
Just re-fill the same jar with whatever seems low. Don't forget to add a pinch of salt from time to time. Enjoy!

 

[dancrowe]

ive made this a number of times now. im not a cabbage fan at all.. so i avoid that. i put in carrots, celery, garlic, sprouts, red onion, cucumber and garlic. after the first time, it took all my will to wait the 3 days.. then i massacred a 1 litre jar of it in a week! i cut everything really small, then i just eat it straight off a spoon. thats heaps as this stuff is awesome.

 

[mygrassisblue]

I just found this post too !! I'm in !! Thanks Crew !!!

 

[Zarathustra]

I just made two batches split between four pint-sized mason jars, two jars filled with vinegar per the original recipe, two jars filled with 3.5% brine and whey which will be fermented for a couple weeks.

Has anybody tried fermenting this yet? The ingredients scream for fermentation.

I haven't figured out how to attach pics yet so I will have to come back to that

So the fermented batch came out great, very different from the original recipe with straight vinegar. The vinegar based version is much tangier and the heat is more evenly distributed. The fermented version is great though, very complex, more subtle flavor, somewhere between sauerkraut and kimchi but more heat than most kimchi I've experienced (other than my own of course ). The heat is a bit more concentrated in the peppers. Much tastier to eat straight out the jar than the vinegar-pickled version but great on sandwiches and what not.

The technique to ferment is simple, just make a 3.5% brine with water and sea salt (~17 grams per pint), pack the ingredients in a jar as usual, add whey or kraut juice if you have it, pour the brine over the veggies, stir and pack everything down so that nothing is sticking out above the brine, then cover loosely and store in a warm dark place for two weeks. Stir the stuff at the top daily to prevent mold and give you an excuse for a taste test. No need for an airlock or even to weigh it down so long as you stir daily.

 

[dbarrym]

Major props to the original poster - I made a batch a couple days ago, but seeing as how it sounded like a great condiment, I rough shredded the onions and carrots and chopped the thinly sliced cabbage into 1" lengths. I finely diced up six medium sized (1 1/4") orange Habs I had frozen from last year's harvest, along with eight cloves of garlic, and mixed it all up well before adding to the jars.

Tried some today on a hamburger and hotdog...OMG what a great addition! Awesome flavor with some crunch and a decent touch of heat. I can see where this would be a great addition to anything you might use shredded lettuce or cabbage on, or pretty much anything else for that matter. I am making some battered fish tacos later this week, and will be using the Picklese mixed with a little mayo instead of the normal white cabbage and mayo dressing. Salivating already!

Gonna try it on some sub sandwiches as well, in place of shredded lettuce.

 

[synclinorium]

You've inspired me to use up the rest of my cabbage... doubt I'll be following the recipe exactly as I don't have everything. Let's see how it goes!

 

[dbarrym]

I did try the fish tacos - I mixed the Picklese with sour cream and mayo and used it as the dressing along with a squeeze of lime. Tasted great - different from the usual white cabbage dressing, but not sure I liked it better. The vinegar taste seemed out of place, but maybe that's because we are so used to the classic battered fish taco taste (he, we live in the neighborhood where they were "invented"!).

I also tried some on a Jersey Mike's Italian sub....now that was a winner. Only complaint is that the peas keep falling out!

 

[frydad4]

dude you're going nuts with the stuff!!! I love it! Keep it up!
Find a combination that WORKS and share!

might be better on a grilled fish taco without the creamy stuff....perhaps...

Don't forget to add a pinch of salt when you reload your veggies.

And the peas fall out all over the place, but aren't they great!!?!?!?!?!!!!!!

 

[texas blues]

I did try the fish tacos - I mixed the Picklese with sour cream and mayo and used it as the dressing along with a squeeze of lime. Tasted great - different from the usual white cabbage dressing, but not sure I liked it better. The vinegar taste seemed out of place, but maybe that's because we are so used to the classic battered fish taco taste (he, we live in the neighborhood where they were "invented"!).

I also tried some on a Jersey Mike's Italian sub....now that was a winner. Only complaint is that the peas keep falling out!

Sorry amigo but battered fish taco's were "invented" by Japanese fisherman/immigrants down in Baja. Wish we 'Merickans could claim it but alas, no.

As per the picklese, maybe before mixing it with the mayo, squeeze as much of the liquid out of it as possible to cut down on the vinegar taste. I love fish taco's and the picklese slaw on it sounds awesome.

 

[dbarrym]

Sorry amigo but battered fish taco's were "invented" by Japanese fisherman/immigrants down in Baja. Wish we 'Merickans could claim it but alas, no.

OK, I'll give you that...but a SD native, Ralph Rubio (we know the Rubio family) did bring them to the US.

I've been draining the picklese on paper towels, otherwise the vinegar taste can be overwhelming.

At any rate, between all the jars of pickled peppers, hot carrots and pickles, and now Picklese, the wife is saying I need to get my own fridge!

 

[stickman]

At any rate, between all the jars of pickled peppers, hot carrots and pickles, and now Picklese, the wife is saying I need to get my own fridge!

I'm with you there brother... Good thing I have a big cellar that's pretty cold in the winter. One of the few advantages of living in New England if you're a pepperhead.

 

[dbarrym]

Actually, I have a beach cottage and house in MA....may be moving back soon (not by preference, though).

Went to the Topsfield Fair last October, was surprised at the number of superhot peppers entered in the vegetable categories....some good looking Bhuts and Vipers. Wouldn't have thought it likely in that part of NE, but, there they were! Pepperheads everywhere.

 

[chilifaninspain]

gotto try this recipe...

 

[wbyrd01]

Hi all, I stumbled across this recipe while looking for a sauce recipe for a couple of pounds of serranos a coworker gave me. I had to register for the site so I could comment on how awesome Picklese is! So far I've made four batches of it, gave one to the coworker, one to a good friend who's a chef and between my wife and I we've already eaten one batch and have started on another. This stuff is amazing! We've put in on brats, hotdogs, pulled pork sandwiches, smoked rib tips, and smoked pork loin so far. My wife says she wants to just eat it right out of the jar!

Last night my wife did ask if I would make her a batch that isn't quite as hot. I've been using habeneros as that's all they have at my local grocery store. This weekend I'm going to try to find some scotch bonnets. Can anyone recommend a pepper that has the same flavor profile but maybe less heat? Or should I just cut the number of peppers in half. I like it hot, but my wife would prefer not to sweat!

Thanks.
Wade

 

[mygrassisblue]

Hello Wade ! What an awesome first post !!! My lazy behind has not yet discovered its amazingness ! from NC !! I have 6 Red scotch Bonnet seeds left from a fellow members mailing (Dulac), I would be happy to get in the post to you. Dan

 

[dbarrym]

Last night my wife did ask if I would make her a batch that isn't quite as hot. I've been using habeneros as that's all they have at my local grocery store. This weekend I'm going to try to find some scotch bonnets. Can anyone recommend a pepper that has the same flavor profile but maybe less heat? Or should I just cut the number of peppers in half. I like it hot, but my wife would prefer not to sweat!

Wade - I would not try Scotch Bonnets, as most are hotter than grocery store Habs. You might try cutting down on the quantity of Habs, or try using the Serranos or Jalapenos - though I think the citrus-y flavor of Habs goes very well with the picklese. You could also leave the Habs whole (less seeds and stems) and remove them as soon as the heat level gets to your desired taste.

I am going to make some picklese with my Datils, Aji Limons and Fatali's, as soon as I get some mature pods. I think the unique flavors of these peppers will work great with the vinegary picklese as a sandwich and burger condiment.

 

[wbyrd01]

Hello Wade ! What an awesome first post !!! My lazy behind has not yet discovered its amazingness ! from NC !! I have 6 Red scotch Bonnet seeds left from a fellow members mailing (Dulac), I would be happy to get in the post to you. Dan

That would be awesome! I'm currently growing 2 jalapenos and one yellow cayenne. But red scotch bonnets are on my short list of peppers to grow. Should I PM you my address?

Wade - I would not try Scotch Bonnets, as most are hotter than grocery store Habs. You might try cutting down on the quantity of Habs, or try using the Serranos or Jalapenos - though I think the citrus-y flavor of Habs goes very well with the picklese. You could also leave the Habs whole (less seeds and stems) and remove them as soon as the heat level gets to your desired taste.

I am going to make some picklese with my Datils, Aji Limons and Fatali's, as soon as I get some mature pods. I think the unique flavors of these peppers will work great with the vinegary picklese as a sandwich and burger condiment.

The scotch bonnets are for me! I was thinking of removing the seeds and that inner lining that they're attached to (not sure what that's called) from the habs in hopes that it would make it a little more mild for my wife.

 

[Torch]

Looks awesome I want to make some ASAP!!! Quick question I'm new at preserving. Are we supposed to heat up the jars once they are all filled with veggies and vinegar so they are safe? Or does the vinegar automatically keep everything safe without the need of boiling? Thanks!

 

[dbarrym]

As long as you use enough vinegar - the pickling liquid used in picklese iis 100% vinegar (2% to 5% is typical in store bought vinegars), and keep it refrigerated, it's fine. No need to heat or boil.

Enjoy!

 

[Torch]

As long as you use enough vinegar - the pickling liquid used in picklese iis 100% vinegar (2% to 5% is typical in store bought vinegars), and keep it refrigerated, it's fine. No need to heat or boil.

Enjoy!

Sweet! Can't wait to try this out! Thanks for the quick response!!!