We love serving these Mexican spicy pickled vegetables with all kinds of dishes—beans, enchiladas, salads, sandwiches, you name it! The acidity adds a balancing spice and flavor to whatever you’re serving it with, and you can adjust the level of heat to suit your preference—just tweak the amount of jalapeños (or substitute an even spicier pepper like serrano if your tastebuds are so bold). A jar of escabeche is a fantastic condiment to have on hand and because of its popularity and versatility, we tend to make it in huge batches.
Ingredients
- 1 lbs fresh jalapeno chile peppers
- 1/3 cup sunflower oil
- 3 each medium white onions, peeled and thickly sliced
- 4 each carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
- 2 heads cauliflower, broken into florets
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
- 4 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 TBS salt
- 2 each bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 4 sprigs fresh marjoram
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 TBS sugar (optional)
Instructions
Wash chiles, leaving the stems intact. Cut a cross in the tip end of each chile so that the vinegar will be able to penetrate the chiles.
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the chiles, onions, carrots, cauliflower, garlic. Allow the vegetables to cook for about 5 minutes, turning them over occasionally in the oil. Add vinegar, salt, herbs and sugar (if using), increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Make sure the chiles are entirely cooked through - you will know that they are cooked when they are no longer vibrant green, but dull, olive green.
Use slotted spoon to transfer escabeche to serving bowl. Store remaining escabeche in cooking vinegar, and serve within a week. For longer term storage, use canning instructions below.
If canning: Immediately after preparing the escabeche, pack sterilized jars with the chiles and vegetables. Top with the cooking vinegar and seal. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Once opened, can keep for 1-2 months in the refrigerator.