There was this man back home, he would walk around our neighborhood once a week shouting “Piquin del monte!”, he was selling this tiny pepper by the bag. I remember my mom saying it was a little expensive but she would buy it anyway cause she loved it. -Fast forward to many years later- It was probably my second year living in San Antonio when me and my husband bought our first house, I was getting the bed ready for my herb garden when I saw a little plant with tiny green bulbs that look a lot like chile piquin. I had to take a picture of it and send it to my mom to corroborate such discovery. It was, in fact, chile piquin, here in San Antonio it grows everywhere! So, every season I pick a whole bunch of them from my plant and pickled them. They are a very, very hot pepper. I don’t want to tell you about the time I warned my father in law not to eat them because they were too hot and he didn’t believe me. He was choking so bad, almost couldn’t breath! “When a Mexican tells you it is hot, you better believe them” I said.. but, I’m not telling you that story, ok? (giggles).
I like to make a quick pickling for these peppers, I don’t know if it is a fact or just a legend but the vinegar tames the heat of the pepper. Tell me if I am wrong. I always make sure I have a jar of pickle piquin peppes when my mom comes to visit. She still loves them!
In a small sauce pan on
Let it cool at room temperature, put the lid on and shake the jar a little bit, just to make sure it’s all well mixed. I don’t know if you can tell by the picture but my jar was a little big for this, it is a 13oz jar, a 10 or 8oz jar would be a better fit. Store it in the fridge. The longer they sit in the fridge the better, I prefer to eat them once they start turning pale because they get softer too.
Chile Piquín en Escabeche/ Pickled Piquin Pepper
Ingredients
- 1 cup piquin peppers
- 1/2 water
- 1/2 vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 bay leave
- 2 cloves of garlic
Instructions
- Clean your peppers. Get rid of the leaves if you have any.
- In a small bowl, cover the peppers with water and add 1 teaspoon of vinegar.
- In a small sauce pan on medium high heat add the water, vinegar, salt, sugar and oregano.
- Simmer until the salt and sugar dissolve. While the pickling liquid is simmering, thinly slice the garlic.
- Transfer the liquid to a measuring cup.
- Place the bay lead in the jar and start making layers of garlic and peppers, all the way to the top. Carefully fill the jar with the pickling liquid. let it cool at room temperature. Put the lid on tight and storage in the fridge. Give it a couple of days before they start absorbing the pickle flavor.
Chile Piquín en Escabeche/ Pickled Piquin Pepper
Ingredients
- 1 cup piquin peppers
- 1/2 water
- 1/2 vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 bay leave
- 2 cloves of garlic
Instructions
- Clean your peppers. Get rid of the leaves if you have any.
- In a small bowl, cover the peppers with water and add 1 teaspoon of vinegar.
- In a small sauce pan on medium high heat add the water, vinegar, salt, sugar and oregano.
- Simmer until the salt and sugar dissolve. While the pickling liquid is simmering, thinly slice the garlic.
- Transfer the liquid to a measuring cup.
- Place the bay lead in the jar and start making layers of garlic and peppers, all the way to the top. Carefully fill the jar with the pickling liquid. let it cool at room temperature. Put the lid on tight and storage in the fridge. Give it a couple of days before they start absorbing the pickle flavor.
