The past couple of days we’ve had quite a few Cayennetta ripen - around fifty. They’re a pretty simple-flavoured hot pepper and they’ll be a great ingredient dried, some of them flaked or powdered. They’ll also be a lovely ingredient to add a bit of warmth to my pickled shallots, which we harvested a week ago.
So I’m doing two things today: drying and pickling.
Firstly, drying. I’m using the air fryer on its dehydrator mode, with the temperature at 60˚C. I’ve cut off the pepper stalks, then halved the peppers. This will help them dry quicker. Keeping them whole can take forever to dry.
I’ve taken out some of the seeds too. As I cut them open I noticed the Cayennetta variety is fat with seeds. They’re an F1 so there's no point saving them and I don’t want the powder or flakes to be dominated by seeds, which can be a bit bitter, so I’m taking some out. I’ll check in on the peppers after 6 hours. Now to the onions.
I have a reputation among friends for making some mean, hot and spicy onions. I served them at our wedding and almost killed the vicar. One friend, when she was pregnant, had cravings for them and we posted a jar up to Scotland.
I first had pickled onions like this in Llandysul when a joiner friend gave me some of his homemade pickles. They made me choke but I loved them! His trick was simple. Instead of straining out the spices, he keeps them in, so the onions and the vinegar keep getting stronger and stronger the longer you leave them. I’ve made them this way ever since.
There are a couple of processes. First, making the brine. Second, boiling the vinegar. Third, putting it all together. I like crunchy onions so I make sure I cool all the liquids before putting in the onions. The basic ingredients are these:
About 1kg onions (I forgot to weigh them)
500g salt
1.5L vinegar
A handful of spices
Brine
2 litres of water to 500g salt. Bring them to the boil, stirring to dissolve the salt thoroughly. I use a whisk. Let it boil for a minute, then set the brine aside to cool for a few hours.
When it’s nearly cool, peel your onions. This is the worst job. It becomes really repetitive and the skins prick under your fingernails and you won’t want to see another onion for weeks.
Drop the onions in the cooled brine, pressing them down with a dinner plate so they’re fully covered. Now leave them overnight to soak.
Vinegar.
This is quick and easy to prepare. I usually use cider or white wine vinegar for a milder vinegar, or malt for a stronger one. Pour it into a pan along with your spices. You can use just about anything you fancy, or you can buy a pack of the stuff from the supermarket. I used:
A tablespoon of coriander seeds
A tablespoon mustard seeds
A teaspoon of black peppercorns
A few emptied cardamom pods
A cinnamon stick
A few cloves
Two bay leaves
A little fresh ginger, chopped
Two or three chillies for a good spice
(I would love to try some onions with the Habaneros later in the year, but that would definitely be a vicar-killer. See what the harvest’s like.)
Bring the vinegar and spices to the boil, let it boil for about a minute, cover and leave to cool overnight while the onions sit in their brine.
In the morning, I would start by preparing your jars. I tend to do it in the oven, heating it to 120˚C. I wash the jars thoroughly with soapy water, rinse and then put them in the oven. As soon as they’re in I turn off the heat and let them cool. When cool, drain your onions, rinsing off any clagged salt, and fill your jars. Pour over the cool vinegar, trying to split the chillies evenly between jars, and making sure the onions are completely covered by vinegar.
If you like you can strain the vinegar first for a milder onion, or, if you want a variety of strengths, you could strain the vinegar, saving the spices, and make one jar without spices included and another with all the spices included.
Make the jars airtight and keep somewhere cool and dark for a month or so. I’m making these in September and will be opening them at Christmas.
There you go. How to kill the clergy with pickles.
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