I have been in pepper love.
So much so, that I even created some pepper art to share on my facebook page.
We’ve been eating many different varieties of peppers – both sweet and spicy. With so many still producing, I’ve started to preserve them in small batches.
I’ve really taken to small batch preserving. It allows me creative freedom to try new flavors in jars.
It also saves me time in the kitchen which has been especially liberating this year since the arrival of baby girl.
Currently, I have cayenne peppers fermenting and just put up a small jar of smoky, roasted alma paprika peppers.
The alma paprika peppers are so much fun. They grow in tight little bundles and are only about 2″ in diameter.
They turn from a shiny yellow to a brilliant red and are a bit spicy. Peppery you could say. I grew them since I read that once dried they could be ground to make your own paprika.
They were to pretty to dry and I have a good source of pimentón so I decided to preserve them in the next best way I know how… in olive oil.
For these peppers I decided to adapt the recipe I use to preserve roasted red peppers in extra virgin olive oil. I infused the extra virgin olive oil with smoked paprika, pimentón, and garlic.
Oh my goodness, these are so good. It’s a bit spicy (not overwhelming), smoky, and perfectly sweet.
If you don’t have alma peppers, any variety of red sweet peppers would taste just as scrumptious with the paprika and garlic olive oil infusion.
I’ve been eating them in panini sandwiches and will make another couple of jars to garnish winter stews.
Roasted, Smoky Paprika Peppers in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It's a bit spicy (not overwhelming), smoky, and perfectly sweet.
Ingredients:
- 18 red, alma paprika peppers, or about 4-6 red sweet peppers (enough to fill one pint jar once roasted)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Kosher, real salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 garlic clove, sliced thinly
- 1/2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
Method:
- In a sauce pan, add 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and smoked Spanish paprika. Heat gently for about 5 minutes, set aside to cool and allow the flavors to infuse the oil. Once cooled, strain through a fine sieve, coffee filter, or cheese cloth.
- Wash, Dry and lightly oil your peppers.
- Roast your peppers. You can do this over an open burner on a stove, a grill or broiled in the oven.
- When the peppers are blackened, put them in a dish covered with a damp towel to seal in the steam for 20 – 40 minutes.
- After the peppers have cooled, remove their skins, stems, seeds, and veins (which carry the most heat) and place them in a bowl. If using paprika peppers make sure to use gloves to prevent your hands from burning. DO NOT run the peppers under water as they will lose their flavor.
- Once the peppers are clean and in the bowl fill a second bowl with apple cider vinegar.
- Dip each pepper individually into the vinegar and place it into a separate bowl.
- Once all of the peppers have been dipped in the vinegar, add salt to them and with your hands toss them like a salad.
- Gather a clean pint sized canning jar (or any other jar to preserve them in) and add enough apple cider vinegar to cover the bottom.
- Pack with the peppers leaving 1/2 inch space at the top.
- Using a butter knife, run it down the sides of the jar to release any air bubbles. You will notice the level of the liquid will drop.
- Once the air is out to the best of your ability add the infused olive oil to cover everything leaving 1/4? headspace.
- Store in the fridge. It will last a year, although the peppers will soften over time.
How has your pepper harvest been this year? Please share your favorite way to preserve peppers.
Your peppers and pepper art is gorgeous! I have a bunch of peppers in my garden and no real knowledge on preserving them. Thanks for the idea!
I have loved your site for quite a while. I am getting ready for my fall planting here in Miami and want to know the variety of peppers that you are growing as I am experimenting and want to concentrate on the eating now that I’ve seen your recipes. My students see them growing on my patio and always want to try them. I remember eating them in Spain and so what better way than growing them and using your recipes. So far we are just using our varieties as a sofrito or in eggs, salsa or in beans. I try to grown as heirloom and organic as possible but can only use containers. Mine are still fruiting but the plants are fairly depleted. Time to start over. Any suggestions as to varieties and sources would be appreciated. Thanks,
Chris
These peppers look so good! Beautiful!
Sorry, Pamela. I’m just now getting this. Let me check my email!
A perfect Christmas gift in 1/2 pint jars.