Pickled Jalapeños and Carrots

Jalapeños y Zanahorias en Escabeche

Makes about 5 cups Preparation Time: 25 minutes, plus marinating time Cooking Time: 20 minutes Keeps, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 months

There’s not a day that I don’t eat pickled jalapeños and carrots. In Mexico, many restaurants place a bowl of them in the middle of the table for people to nibble on with their meal, and they are a standard accompaniment to take-out pizza. I usually prefer mine homemade, but should I run out, there are always a couple of store-bought cans in the pantry as insurance against an emergency. They are a necessity for tortas and are delicious in quesadillas or as a side to scrambled eggs, grilled meats, or rice.

Some cooks add boiled baby potatoes, green beans, mushrooms, cauliflower, and/or cactus paddles. The options are endless, and all are terrific.

• 1 pound jalapeño chiles, halved and seeded
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into ¼-inch slices
• 2 tablespoons kosher or coarse sea salt
• 2 cups distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 10 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 8 ounces pearl onions, peeled, or large scallions, trimmed to the white and light green parts
• 4 garlic cloves

1. Place the chiles and carrots in a large bowl, sprinkle with the salt, and toss to coat. Let sit for 30 minutes to macerate and release some of their juices. Drain, reserving the juices.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine the vinegars, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and brown sugar. Blend until smooth, at least 1 minute.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, or until it barely begins to color. Add the carrots and jalapeños and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, giving them a couple of stirs. Pour in their reserved juices, along with the vinegar mixture, and simmer briskly for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables soften. Let cool.
4. Pack the mixture into glass containers with tight-fitting lids and refrigerate. Let the vegetables pickle for at least 4 hours before serving.

MEXICAN COOK’S TRICK: I don’t recommend using gloves when working with chiles, since washing your hands afterward with soapy water works fine. In fact your hands are essential to feeling the varying degrees of heat. But since there are quite a few chiles to prepare in this recipe, you may want to use gloves if you are not used to working with them. If you don’t, just remember not to touch your eyes for a while. If you want your pickled chiles hotter, use serranos instead of jalapeños. Or, if you are really brave, leave the chiles whole, seeds intact, and just snap off the stems.

In jar: Pickled Jalapeños and Carrots; in foreground: Yucatán-Style Pickled Red Onions

Soothing the Heat People often ask me what to do when they are enchilados (when their mouth is on fire from a hot chile). When they say, “Should I drink water?” I yell, “No!” The heat in chiles comes from a natural oil called capsaicin, which is found in the seed clusters and veins of the chiles. As with any other oily substance, to dilute it you need another oily substance—like a tablespoon of olive oil, or some chunks of buttery avocado, or dairy, such as milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, or ice cream. Many Mexican recipes have already combined that tangy creaminess with chiles for you, putting the torturer and the savior in the same bite.