Pickled Jalapeños stuffed with Tuna (Chiles Jalapeños en Escabeche)

 

 

 

In Oaxacan marketplaces there are always plastic bags full of freshly pickled jalapeños — very good, but the ones that diligent cooks usually prefer to make at home are fantastic.  It’s a good way to preserve a bumper crop of jalapeños, the canned variety will do but the homemade version with transform the dish.

 

1 pound fresh green chiles such as jalapeños (preferably) or serranos

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large onions, sliced into thin (1/4-inch) half-moons

20 garlic cloves

8 sprigs fresh Mediterranean oregano or 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled (see page 000)

8 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

8 sprigs fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled

1 teaspoon black peppercorns, bruised

6 bay leaves

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon kosher salt.

 

Prick the chiles in several places using the tines of a fork, or use a small sharp knife to cut a small x at the tip of each.  (This will help the marinade penetrate better.)  Place in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring back to a boil over high heat.  Cook for 1 minute; at once drain in a colander and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a large, deep non-reactive skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until not quite smoking.  Add the onions and garlic; cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the oregano, thyme, marjoram, peppercorns, and bay leaves.  Cook, stirring for 1 minute longer.  Add the chiles, vinegar, and salt.  Bring to a boil, stirring.  Remove from the heat and let cool completely.  Transfer to storage containers, distributing the solids and liquid as equally as possible. (Glass jars, nonreactive storage bowls with tight-fitting lids, or leakproof zipper-fastened plastic bags are all good.)  Refrigerate for at least 3 days to let the flavors develop.  The pickled chiles will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 months.

Yield: About 3 cups of solids

 

If you have a bumper crop of jalapenos, pickling is the way to go even though you can roast a few and put them in baggies unpeeled, in the freezer and take them out as needed.

But there is something about pickling things that is satisfying and practical.  I am including the recipe for pickling chiles that was first published in my book the Food and Life of Oaxaca (Macmillan 1992) and still another version in Zarela’s Veracruz (Houghton Mifflin 2001).

 

However if pickling is not in your plans, you can make this dish with commercially pickled chiles but there will always be that little, tinny aftertaste. Recipe for pickling chiles follows.

Tuna filling:

2 – 3 cans high quality tuna if available (I use Pastene)

½ cup finely chopped red onion

½ cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons or more of freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

 

Flake the tuna with a fork and combine with the remaining ingredients.  Let sit for an hour or two in the refrigerator for the flavor to meld.

Drain the chiles and carefully scoop out any remaining chiles, stuff with the salad and pour the pickled carrots, onions and garlic over the chiles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chiles Jalapeños Curtidos Rellenos de Atún

Pickled Jalapeño Chiles stuffed with Canned Tuna

If you have a bumper crop of jalapenos, pickling is the way to go even though you can roast a few and put them in baggies unpeeled, in the freezer and take them out as needed.

But there is something about pickling things that is satisfying and practical.  I am including the recipe for pickling chiles that was first published in my book the Food and Life of Oaxaca (Macmillan 1992) and still another version in Zarela’s Veracruz (Houghton Mifflin 2001).

However if pickling is not in your plans, you can make this dish with commercially pickled chiles but there will always be that little, tinny aftertaste. Recipe for pickling chiles follows.

2 – 3 cans high quality tuna if available (I use Pastene)

½ cup finely chopped red onion

½ cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons or more of freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Flake the tuna with a fork and combine with the remaining ingredients.  Let sit for an hour or two in the efrigerator for the flavor to meld. 

Drain the chiles and carefully scoop out any remaining chiles, stuff with the salad and pour the pickled carrots, onions and garlic over the chiles

Chiles Jalapeños en Escabeche

Pickled Jalapeño Chiles

 

In Oaxacan marketplaces there are always plastic bags full of freshly pickled jalapeños — very good, but the ones that diligent cooks usually prefer to make at home are fantastic.  It’s a good way to preserve a bumper crop of jalapeños, the canned variety will do but the homemade version with transform the dish.

1 pound fresh green chiles such as jalapeños (preferably) or serranos

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large onions, sliced into thin (1/4-inch) half-moons

20 garlic cloves

8 sprigs fresh Mediterranean oregano or 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled (see page 000)

8 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

8 sprigs fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled

1 teaspoon black peppercorns, bruised

6 bay leaves

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon kosher salt.

 

Prick the chiles in several places using the tines of a fork, or use a small sharp knife to cut a small x at the tip of each.  (This will help the marinade penetrate better.)  Place in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring back to a boil over high heat.  Cook for 1 minute; at once drain in a colander and allow to cool to room temperature.

            In a large, deep non-reactive skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until not quite smoking.  Add the onions and garlic; cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the oregano, thyme, marjoram, peppercorns, and bay leaves.  Cook, stirring for 1 minute longer.  Add the chiles, vinegar, and salt.  Bring to a boil, stirring.  Remove from the heat and let cool completely.  Transfer to storage containers, distributing the solids and liquid as equally as possible. (Glass jars, nonreactive storage bowls with tight-fitting lids, or leakproof zipper-fastened plastic bags are all good.)  Refrigerate for at least 3 days to let the flavors develop.  The pickled chiles will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 months. 

Yield: About 3 cups of solids

 

 

 

 

Chiles Jalapeños Curtidos Rellenos de Atún

Pickled Jalapeño Chiles stuffed with Canned Tuna

If you have a bumper crop of jalapenos, pickling is the way to go even though you can roast a few and put them in baggies unpeeled, in the freezer and take them out as needed.

But there is something about pickling things that is satisfying and practical.  I am including the recipe for pickling chiles that was first published in my book the Food and Life of Oaxaca (Macmillan 1992) and still another version in Zarela’s Veracruz (Houghton Mifflin 2001).

However if pickling is not in your plans, you can make this dish with commercially pickled chiles but there will always be that little, tinny aftertaste. Recipe for pickling chiles follows.

2 – 3 cans high quality tuna if available (I use Pastene)

½ cup finely chopped red onion

½ cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons or more of freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Flake the tuna with a fork and combine with the remaining ingredients.  Let sit for an hour or two in the efrigerator for the flavor to meld. 

Drain the chiles and carefully scoop out any remaining chiles, stuff with the salad and pour the pickled carrots, onions and garlic over the chiles

Chiles Jalapeños en Escabeche

Pickled Jalapeño Chiles

 

In Oaxacan marketplaces there are always plastic bags full of freshly pickled jalapeños — very good, but the ones that diligent cooks usually prefer to make at home are fantastic.  It’s a good way to preserve a bumper crop of jalapeños, the canned variety will do but the homemade version with transform the dish.

1 pound fresh green chiles such as jalapeños (preferably) or serranos

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large onions, sliced into thin (1/4-inch) half-moons

20 garlic cloves

8 sprigs fresh Mediterranean oregano or 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled (see page 000)

8 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

8 sprigs fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled

1 teaspoon black peppercorns, bruised

6 bay leaves

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon kosher salt.

 

Prick the chiles in several places using the tines of a fork, or use a small sharp knife to cut a small x at the tip of each.  (This will help the marinade penetrate better.)  Place in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring back to a boil over high heat.  Cook for 1 minute; at once drain in a colander and allow to cool to room temperature.

            In a large, deep non-reactive skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until not quite smoking.  Add the onions and garlic; cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the oregano, thyme, marjoram, peppercorns, and bay leaves.  Cook, stirring for 1 minute longer.  Add the chiles, vinegar, and salt.  Bring to a boil, stirring.  Remove from the heat and let cool completely.  Transfer to storage containers, distributing the solids and liquid as equally as possible. (Glass jars, nonreactive storage bowls with tight-fitting lids, or leakproof zipper-fastened plastic bags are all good.)  Refrigerate for at least 3 days to let the flavors develop.  The pickled chiles will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 months. 

Yield: About 3 cups of solids

 

 

Chiles Jalapeños Curtidos Rellenos de Atún

Pickled Jalapeño Chiles stuffed with Canned Tuna

 

If you have a bumper crop of jalapenos, pickling is the way to go even though you can roast a few and put them in baggies unpeeled, in the freezer and take them out as needed.

But there is something about pickling things that is satisfying and practical.  I am including the recipe for pickling chiles that was first published in my book the Food and Life of Oaxaca (Macmillan 1992) and still another version in Zarela’s Veracruz (Houghton Mifflin 2001).

 

However if pickling is not in your plans, you can make this dish with commercially pickled chiles but there will always be that little, tinny aftertaste. Recipe for pickling chiles follows.

 

2 – 3 cans high quality tuna if available (I use Pastene)

½ cup finely chopped red onion

½ cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons or more of freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

 

Flake the tuna with a fork and combine with the remaining ingredients.  Let sit for an hour or two in the efrigerator for the flavor to meld.

Drain the chiles and carefully scoop out any remaining chiles, stuff with the salad and pour the pickled carrots, onions and garlic over the chiles

 

Chiles Jalapeños en Escabeche

Pickled Jalapeño Chiles

 

In Oaxacan marketplaces there are always plastic bags full of freshly pickled jalapeños — very good, but the ones that diligent cooks usually prefer to make at home are fantastic.  It’s a good way to preserve a bumper crop of jalapeños, the canned variety will do but the homemade version with transform the dish.

 

1 pound fresh green chiles such as jalapeños (preferably) or serranos

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large onions, sliced into thin (1/4-inch) half-moons

20 garlic cloves

8 sprigs fresh Mediterranean oregano or 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled (see page 000)

8 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

8 sprigs fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled

1 teaspoon black peppercorns, bruised

6 bay leaves

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon kosher salt.

 

Prick the chiles in several places using the tines of a fork, or use a small sharp knife to cut a small x at the tip of each.  (This will help the marinade penetrate better.)  Place in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring back to a boil over high heat.  Cook for 1 minute; at once drain in a colander and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a large, deep non-reactive skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until not quite smoking.  Add the onions and garlic; cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the oregano, thyme, marjoram, peppercorns, and bay leaves.  Cook, stirring for 1 minute longer.  Add the chiles, vinegar, and salt.  Bring to a boil, stirring.  Remove from the heat and let cool completely.  Transfer to storage containers, distributing the solids and liquid as equally as possible. (Glass jars, nonreactive storage bowls with tight-fitting lids, or leakproof zipper-fastened plastic bags are all good.)  Refrigerate for at least 3 days to let the flavors develop.  The pickled chiles will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 months.

Yield: About 3 cups of solids