Jalapenos

- - -

Rosa's Pickled Jalapenos

 

This delicious recipe is courtesy of Roberto Santibanez's "Rosa's New Mexican Table."

• Yield Makes about 8 cups

Add to Shopping List

Ingredients

• 20 medium jalapenos (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 medium white onions, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 24 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 cups cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons coarse salt
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh marjoram
• 1/2 lime, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons yellow or Dijon mustard
• 12 allspice berries, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed

Directions

1. With a paring knife, cut two slits on opposite sides of each jalapeno, starting about 1/2 inch from the stem end and ending about 1 inch from the tapered end.
   
2. Heat oil in a deep nonreactive saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the jalapenos, onions, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.
   
3. Add the vinegar, 1 cup water, salt, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, lime, sugar, mustard, allspice, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cool to room temperature.
   
4. Transfer pickled jalapeno mixture to a clean glass jar and refrigerate. Pickled jalapenos will keep up to 6 weeks, refrigerated, as long as the vegetables are completely submerged in liquid.
   

 - - -

Pickled Cucumbers and Jalapenos

Jalapenos range from mild to strong. They can be roasted, stewed, or, as in this case, pickled.

• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield Makes 2 1/2 quarts

Add to Shopping List

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Kirby cucumbers, sliced diagonally 1/4 inch thick
• 4 red jalapenos, sliced diagonally 1/4 inch thick
• 3 small onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 3 tablespoons coarse salt
• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 1 3/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon mustard seed
• 3/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Directions

1. In a bowl, toss cucumbers, jalapenos, onions, and salt. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours.
   
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric, stirring to dissolve sugar.
   
3. Rinse and drain cucumber mixture. Pour vinegar mixture over; let cool. Refrigerate, covered, up to 3 weeks.
   

 

 

Mariscos la Costa

3625 International Blvd, Oakland, CA

Why I like it:
- Cerviche tostadas for $3.75. Clean, citrusy, seafoody. A fresh counterpoint to the warm and satisfying carne asada torta -- a messy steak and avocado sandwich in a soft grilled bun. Another $3.75. Most people are ordering just some version of cerviche -- soups/cocktails with extra crackers and the like -- which suggests that this is the authentic way to go. Maybe I'll get there someday, but for now I have to have steak and seafood.

More reasons:
- The walk up and order at the window serivce, the covered outdoor seating. Just like the take out places in Hawaii, except they've put up see-through plastic tarp to keep the cold out in the winter -- plus you can glance over and see your car in the parking lot. Not a bad thing. Definitely a day place, haven't been there in the evening.

- The guys behind the conter in their white 50's style diner shirts and pants, their generally happy efficient demeanor. They don't seem to mind if you stare at the menu trying to recall if pulpa is squid or octopus, or camarone means it shrimp -- and when you actually order they momentarily look concerned that you don't know what we're going to end up with -- which is fair -- so they repeat the order and pause to see if that's what you wanted. a few smiles and nods back and forth, and the deal is closed.