Jardiniera

It is Jardie time once again. Every year in September/October I make Jardiniera or as a friend of ours calls them "Jars of Happiness". For anyone who likes a little kick to their food these are the answer. They will transform any dish into something new and exciting. My favourite foods to add them to are Pizza, Rice & Pasta dishes but they can be added to anything from sandwiches to scrambled eggs.

Each year it is a hit or miss in regards to how hot the peppers are. The last couple of years they have been quite mild but this year due to a hot and sunny summer ( so I've been told) the peppers are hotter. I made a few jars and have already finished one off. They are the kind of hot that sneaks up on you after 30 seconds. Not too hot to set your mouth on fire but hot enough to truly enhance the flavour of the food.

Finding the peppers is also a challenge. When we lived in Montreal they could and still can be easily found at the Jean Talon Market. Here in Toronto it has been a challenge. I did find a small amount of them at the St. Lawrence Farmers Market and I can usually find them in larger quantities at the Highland Farms Supermarket in Woodbridge. You want Fingerling peppers or they are sometimes called Long Hot peppers. They are an Italian pepper.

Ingredients:

Bushel of Fingerling Peppers
White Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Garlic
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.


Wipe the peppers down with a damp cloth to clean them. Do not submerge them in water. Chop the peppers into small 1 cm rings. Spread them out in a large tray or dish with sides. Pour over enough vinegar to coat the peppers. They should not be swimming in the vinegar but there should be a half an inch or so in the bottom of your dish. Sprinkle them generously with the kosher salt and give them a good stir. Cover them and let them sit for 24 hours stirring them occasionally.

After 24 hours place them in a colander and let them drain for a good 10 to 15 minutes. You can help them along by pressing down on them with a spoon. Do not rinse them with water just let them drain off. They are now ready to be placed in jars.

Chop several cloves of garlic. You want enough garlic to be able to put a teaspoon of it in each jar. I use my food processor to chop the garlic.

Jars must be sterilized as well as the lids.

Start each jar with 1/2 tsp of the chopped garlic. Fill to the half way point with Peppers. Add another 1/2 tsp of garlic and fill jar to the top with peppers. Pour Extra Virgin Olive oil to fill the jar. Insert a knife and ensure there are no pockets of air in the jar. The oil should just cover the peppers and you should have approx a 1/2 inch or so of space at the top of the jar. Seal with the lid.