It’s late…I’m tired…but I’m bursting with excitement! In a few hours we will be off to the airport to catch our flight to Zamboanga! Zamboanga is a province (and a city) in our southernmost island group called Mindanao. This is the home of the delectable curacha. It is also the place where C was born and where he took me to propose! We are going to celebrate the fiesta like we did two years ago when C popped the question over a fantastic seafood dinner by the shore. This time we are bringing a bunch of friends with us to share the festivities. Yay! :)
I’m not leaving you all empty handed though. I’ve concocted a little something to house-sit while we are away. It’s spicy and tart so hopefully no one will dare cross her (although she is also a little sweet and aromatic). And while we are off dancing and feasting and exploring, she will be lolling and mellowing in her bath of honey and vinegar…slowly reaching the point of pickle perfection.
Inspired by Johanna’s WTSIM round-up of savory preserves, I am on a preserving/pickling/chutney-ing state of mind. Each entry in this round-up looks temptingly good. I wish I could make them all right now, but unless I grow a couple of extra arms, one pickle will have to do for the moment: Raisin Stuffed Chili Pepper Pickles. Now say that five times fast! The chili peppers are stuffed with raisins and pickled in a mixture of vinegar and honey -- the perfect blend of spicy, sweet, and pickly…yes, me like :)
You can find the original recipe here at Zlamushka’s Spicy Kitchen, another new blog I have discovered and am happily enjoying. C & I love spicy food and peppers in one form or the other are always around. Here’s a link to a chili scale which measures the “heat” of different peppers (with pictures!). I have used jalapeños for this batch. Jalapeños are used often in Mexican cuisine, which just so happens to be one of C’s favorite cuisines ever…so he too is excited about this little experiment. These peppers vary from mild to hot depending on how it is grown. I didn’t taste any of them yet so I wouldn’t know, but based on my burning face (where I must have rubbed it with jalapeño-stained hands) these guys were pretty hot!
In honor of the 2nd anniversary of Weekend Herb Blogging I decided to add another dimension to the pepper pickle by adding some herbs. After consulting with Zlamushka, I decided on sage and thyme (as it would go with the honey aspect of the pickling solution – like a nice honeyed herbal infusion). The thyme, I am proud to say, came from my “garden” of five pots (kaffir lime, thyme, chili pepper, and a “money plant” for good fortune!). I wish I could tell you all how the flavors work together but this needs about three weeks resting time to be ready!
Ok, no more procrastinating…I must get packing! See you all next week and hopefully my pickled peppers with be progressing positively! ;)
Happy 2nd anniversary to WHB!!! Kalyn, from a sworn meat-lovin' gal: You have made a herb-blogger out of me! :)
Update 5/19/2010: I am submitting this post to Tried & Tasted, this round featuring Zlamushka's Spicy Kitchen!