Name: Pickled Jalapeños with Cumin and Lime Zest
Total time: 10 d 40 min
Ingredients: 3 cups water; 7 teaspoons canning and pickling salt salt; 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 10 small jalapeño chiles (2 to 3 inches long), halved lengthwise and seeded; 1 shallot , peeled and halved through root end; 6 (2-inch) strips lime zest; 4 garlic cloves , smashed and peeled

Why This Recipe Works

Most store-bought pickled jalapeños are preserved in a vinegar brine and seasoned with bay leaf and onion. Their flavor is not complex. To add deeper flavors, we ferment our jalapeños and add shallot and garlic. Cumin seeds lend earthiness while lime zest adds brightness. Over time, we found that the jalapeños took on complex floral notes and also increased in spiciness since the cell walls of the chiles continued to break down, releasing more of the spicy capsaicinoid compounds.

Before You Begin

For spicier results, don’t remove the jalapeño seeds. For a balanced flavor, we prefer fermenting at a cool room temperature of 65 degrees (consider locations such as a basement, a den, or a cabinet in an air-conditioned room). We don’t recommend fermenting above 70 degrees, as the flavor suffers; above 75 degrees food safety becomes a concern. The fermentation temperature will affect the timing and flavor of the jalapeños; warmer temperatures will result in faster fermentation and sharper, more pungent flavors.

Instructions

Bring water, salt, sugar, and cumin seeds to boil in small saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Cut out parchment paper round to match diameter of 1-quart wide-mouth jar.

Tightly pack jalapeños, shallot, lime zest, and garlic into jar, leaving 1 1/2 inches headspace. Pour cooled brine over jalapeños to cover and leave 1 inch headspace; vegetables should be so tightly packed that jalapeños don’t float. Press parchment round flush to surface of brine and press gently to submerge. Cover jar with triple layer of cheesecloth and secure with rubber band.

Place jar in 50- to 70-degree location away from direct sunlight and let ferment for 10 days; check jar daily, skimming residue from surface. After 10 days, taste jalapeños daily until they have reached desired flavor (this may take up to 4 days longer; jalapeños should be softened, with tangy, floral flavor).

When jalapeños have reached desired flavor, remove cheesecloth and parchment and skim off any residue. Serve. (Pickled jalapeños and brine can be transferred to clean jar, covered, and refrigerated for up to 5 months; once refrigerated, flavor of jalapeños will continue to mature and they will darken in color.)