Thursday, July 19, 2012

Spicy Pickled Green Beans and Jalapenos


Before I jump into pickles, I just want to say how grateful I am for the caring, supportive words shared in response to my last post.  I am fortunate to be part of such a kind, gracious community.  Thank you.

This Friday begins the annual Can-a-Rama weekend.  What a terrific time to start preserving your garden or farmers’ market bounty.  Seeing tiny leaves unfurl and stems grow tall thrills me.  I’ve decided the scent of tomato leaves is one of the best fragrances ever and would happily bottle it if I could.


We are huge fans of anything pickled.  My taste buds tingle just thinking about pickles! Last summer I pickled carrots, tomatillos and green beans.  I felt a surge of pride each time I opened the fridge!  This summer I chose to ramp up the spice and pickle green beans and jalapenos together.

A gentle heat infused the fresh green beans, making them a tasty and addictive afternoon nibble.  The jalapenos were fiery and left a pleasant buzz in my mouth. They added a warm flavor to the radish-goat cheese-pickled onion baguette sandwiches I made for Bob and Sam’s fly-fishing adventure with our friend, Greg. (Sam is learning fly-fishing this summer as his senior project ... how cool is that?).


On a whim, I sliced two peaches and covered them with the leftover brine overnight.  The sweet-salty peaches were delicious when added to a salad, and the fruity brine made a unique vinaigrette when whisked with olive oil.  Happy pickling!


P.S. Just saw Moonrise Kingdom and love this sweet summer movie.

Spicy Pickled Green Beans and Jalapenos
Makes 1 quart plus 1 pint

1 pound green beans, stems snipped and broken in half if too tall for the jar
1 pound jalapenos, sliced thinly lengthwise
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar

Have ready a clean, sterilized 1 quart and 1 pint jar.  Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil.  Add the green beans and jalapenos and blanch them for 2 minutes.  Drain the pot.  Divide the green beans, jalapenos and garlic slices between the jars.

For the brine, combine the vinegar, water, salt and sugar in the same large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Carefully fill the jars with the brine to within 1/2 inch of the top of the rim, covering the vegetables completely. Discard any leftover brine. Place lids on the jars and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. Pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.  Over time, the heat of the jalapenos will mellow.

26 comments:

  1. Love pickled green beans!! This one looks and sounds wonderful. And the refrigerator method to boot! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. My pleasure, Pat! I'm a fan of the fridge method. Right now I have some curry cauliflower pickling - can't wait to try it.

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  2. Hannah - I just now read through your last post before reading this one and my heart goes out to you. I'm glad you are surrounded by such a wonderful community. What bowls of love you shared. My prayers are with you.

    And, what a bright recipe you are now celebrating life with! This looks amazing.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, Mikaela. It has been a tragic time and I am thankful for all of the support.

      Life offers much to celebrate and appreciate and I'm glad to focus on that, too.

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  3. Pickled peaches! I'm thinking a salad with those would need some walnuts, too. Delicious. I love the idea of spicy green beans, too. Yum!

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    1. I like how you think, Lauren - walnuts would be delicious with the pickled peaches and I wish I'd thought of it. Next time!

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  4. Pickled green beans is one of my favorites! Pinning this one right now. I just started some canning this morning, and this is going on the list :-)

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    1. Have fun canning, Suzanne! I can't wait to see what you create.

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  5. These sound really good. I really like the idea of the pickled peaches. I love most all things with jalapenos!

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    1. Thank you, Cynthia! The peaches were a "why not?" and turned out to be delicious. I do love jalapenos, too - I have some cauliflower pickling right now and slipped extra jalapenos into the brine. I appreciate you stopping by!

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  6. Hi Hannah - Sorry to hear of the sad losses in your life in your last post.

    I think I just might try pickling something this summer. Was just listening to Marissa of foodinjars talk about super sour pickles which is a wonderful memory flavor for me from my childhood and I think I just might try my hand at it. Your green beans and oh my the peaches - how lovely.

    I just noticed that you used to be the chef at Hillel UW. What years? My niece went to UW, spent a lot of time at the Hillel including working as a barista there.

    The world is small...

    Hope your summer brightens.

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    1. Thank you, Beth, it's been an emotional summer so far. I'm looking forward to sunnier times.

      I hope you try some pickling this summer. I'm a fan of the quick fridge pickles - haven't tried my hand at the long-term canning process yet. Some day!

      I cooked at Hillel UW from '05-'11. Was your niece there during that time? I made food for the cafe where she was the barista (mostly chocolate chip cookies!). It's a wonderful Hillel and I'm glad she was part of the community. A small world indeed.

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  7. I'm especially intrigued by those pickled peaches!

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    1. Hi Jen - the peaches turned out to be an unexpected treat! I'm thinking of other summer fruit that could be pickled into something delicious now.

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  8. Hannah-

    I am just getting caught up, and am so sorry to hear of your losses. I'm glad you were able to take comfort in traditional foods and rituals. Your pickles look beautiful--peaches sound like an excellent way to use up leftover brine. And if you ever feel so inclined, I know there is a company that makes a perfume very evocative of the scent of tomato plants, I think it's called Demeter.

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    1. Thank you, Venessa, I appreciate your kind words. Ritual and tradition play a large role in providing comfort, and food is definitely part of it.

      I checked out Demeter and am intrigued by many of their scents - thanks for the recommendation!

      I'm hoping to make it to one of your summer backyard dinners. :)

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  9. Love the idea of the savory/sweet peaches...great thinking!

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    1. Thank you, Erina! One of those impulse moves that turned out to be a good one. :)

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  10. I love pickles and make them sometimes (but not these days). I've never tried pickling fruits, especially peaches! That's something I would love to try!

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    1. Let me know if you give them a try, Nami! Most of the time spent is fridge time, so they are pretty quick. Hope you are enjoying your summer!

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  11. Love pickles! They can brighten up any salad or just great to snack on on their own. Love the picked peaches too,what a great idea.

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    1. Thank you, Mairi! You are so right, reaching for a jar of something pickled to nibble on or to add to a dish is wonderful. We're just finishing up some curried cauliflower now.

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  12. i wont try any fruit pickles and its great idea to picked peaches.

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  13. Teresa Leach BoylesAugust 12, 2013 at 6:54 AM

    I love Pickled Green Beans but I can't eat spicy, can you suggest an alternative to the Jalapenos?

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    1. Hi Teresa, you can leave the jalapenos out and double the amount of green beans, or add thinly sliced carrot sticks (blanch these, too). Since you won't have the spicy flavor from the jalapenos you could add some fresh dill or another herb that you like. I hope you enjoy the beans! I'm happy you stopped by.

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