These stuffed peppers have a satisfying sweet-and-sour flavor. We eat them on their own or as part of a pickle plate, but they also make an excellent accompaniment to rich dishes, such as cheese grits, risotto, or anything with lamb. This recipe comes from Anne Lewis Anderson, the stepmother of James Beard Award–winning cookbook author Jean Anderson. Anne was the head of the math department at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. As one would expect of a math professor, Anne’s cookbook notes the number of jars she canned each year. If you can find cherry peppers, use them; if you can’t, use small, sweet, red bell peppers, slightly larger than golf balls.
1 head of cabbage, finely shredded
3 cups water
3 tablespoons pickling salt
20–22 cherry peppers or small red bell peppers
3 cups white vinegar
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pickling spice
Place the cabbage in a bowl with the water and pickling salt. Stir to dissolve the salt. Let the cabbage sit overnight at room temperature.
The next day, drain and rinse the cabbage several times until the saltiness is to your liking. Stuff each pepper’s cavity with shredded cabbage.
Pack the stuffed peppers into hot, sterilized jars. Pack more peppers than you think possible into each jar, but be careful not to tear them.
Combine the vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan. Place the pickling spice in a large tea strainer or in a layer or two of cheesecloth tied with butcher string. Add it to the vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pickling spice.
Pour the syrup over the peppers in the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Follow the instructions for boiling-water canning on page 10. Process the jars for 15 minutes. Let the peppers sit for 1 month before eating.