Martini With Pickled Spiced Olives

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Date: Mon, 08 Apr 1996 16:03:11 -0700  From: smurman@best.com One of
the Meades (the couple not the drink)  suggested using children's
pinwheels as a scarecrow to keep the birds  away from my plants and
patio. So far it has worked well, it's  inexpensive, effective, humane,
and fun - just the type of solution I  would expect from a chile head.
As usual, I'm including a recipe in  payment, this time for a vodka
martini (believe me it's not as simple  as you think).  This recipe for
a vodka martini requires about 6 months to make, but  it's well worth
it.  You'll need to make a batch of pickled spiced  olives and/or
onions, I've included a recipe for such at the end.  Please take care
not to infect your loved ones with deadly nerve  toxins by using
improperly pickled olives. Keep your vodka in the  freezer. I use
Absolut, but any brand not made in Pennsylvania should  do. Take a
single hot olive or onion from the jar and place it in the  bottom of
the glass with a toothpick. Add exactly two ice cubes to  the glass.
Pour chilled vodka over until it just covers the cubes.  Serve with a
fair warning. (please don't point out to me that a  martini should not
contain ice but should include vermouth. I'm a  trained professional, I
know what I'm doing.) Those of you drinking  with a member of the
opposite sex can use the amount of hot olive  eaten as an indicator of
how enjoyable the rest of your evening will  be. This is also a good
reason to prefer olives to onions.  I'm hesitant to publish a recipe
for pickling because it can kill you  if done improperly, and there are
a number of factors involved in  doing it right. I urge all of you who
are considering this to buy a  copy of "Putting Food By". It is an
excellent book covering all  varieties of safe home food storage
(canning, smoking, pickling,  etc.). This is a recipe that I use, but
I'm aware of what I'm doing.  The habs are my favorite because they
make the olives HOT.  Usually I  won't mix varieties because it's
easier to control the heat level.  large mason jar with new lid (never
re-use the lids for anything)  I use a hot water bath.  If you have a
pressure canner, obviously use  it. I live at sea level and will still
add weight to the lid for  safety.  Bring the giant pot of water to a
rapid boil (with cover on). Stem the  peppers and cut two slits into
the sides (to allow the vinegar to mix  with the innards - more heat).
Add the ingredients to the mason jar  (use your judgment on quantity),
until it's full within an inch of  the top. Heat a mixture of 3-1
vinegar-water in a pan until it's just  about to boil. DO NOT let the
vinegar boil - it will boil off much  faster than water and you will
lose your acidity. Pour the hot  vinegar over the stuff in the mason
jar, and then seal the jar. If  you like, you can pour a little olive
oil on top which will coat the  olives when they're removed. Place the
sealed jars into the boiling  water bath (carefully - you'll likely
want to invest in some canning  tongs). Cover and continue to boil the
jar(s). Boil for about 15  minutes.  This is actually a bit tricky. If
you boil them too long,  the peppers will become mushy, too short and
you risk not obtaining a  good seal.  Remove the jars from the bath,
and let set on the counter  top. The seals should "pop" within 10-15
minutes. Store the jars in a  dark room temperature cupboard for 4-6
months. Check them  periodically (read: admire your handiwork).  If
they become cloudy or  discolored dispose of the jar. When you're
ready, move a jar to the  fridge. After I open them I check the acidity
with litmus paper (I  like my life so I double check that I haven't
created a breeding  ground for botulism). After you're done you'll have
olives, onions,  garlic, and peppers that I can only describe as
psycho-active.  CHILE-HEADS DIGEST V2 #288  From the Chile-Heads recipe
list.  Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe  Archive,
http://www.erols.com/hosey.

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