ESCABECHE

The pickled chiles and carrots that make up this escabeche can add buckets of flavor and texture to other foods such as enchiladas or tamales. The Spanish word “escabeche” comes from “escabechado” which means “pickled,” “preserved” or “potted,” and designates marinated and flavored foods that have been briefly cooked and are, unlike other quick pickles, no longer wholly raw.

RECIPE: Escabeche
Makes just under 1 quart; easily halved or multiplied.

Ingredients
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon Mexican (not Mediterranean) dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 small or medium bay leaf
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3/4 cup shallots, peeled and sliced thinly
3 medium jalapeños, sliced into 1/8-inch thick rings (seeds OK)
1 small serrano pepper, sliced into 1/8-inch thick rings (seeds OK)
3 small to medium carrots, peeled, sliced into 1/8-inch thick rings

Directions

In a pot, combine all the ingredients except the peppers and carrots and bring the mixture to a boil.

Lower the heat and add the peppers and carrots and stir, simmering, until the peppers turn from bright green to a duller, “army” green, about 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a large quart-sized, heatproof glass or ceramic jar. Pour enough of the liquid into the jar to cover the solids, keeping back the strongly flavored garlic cloves and bay leaf, if desired. Cover, cool down, then refrigerate. Keeps, refrigerated, for at least 2 months.