Pickled Ancho Chiles
Ancho Escabeche
| Ingredients | Measures |
|---|---|
| Ancho chiles (about 4 ounces) | 12 each |
| Water | 3 cups |
| Cider vinegar | 1 ½ cups |
| Brown sugar, packed | ¾ cup |
| Cloves | 5 each |
| Allspice berries | 10 each |
| Black peppercorns | 10 each |
| Bay leaf | 2 each |
| Garlic cloves, peeled and cracked | 6 each |
| Thyme, fresh branches | 6 each |
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a pan and bring them quickly up to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the liquid to cool and the chiles to soften.
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Once cool, remove each chile and cut an opening lengthwise from the stem end to the tip. Carefully remove the seeds and ribs without tearing the chile, and then return it to the pickling liquid to absorb more flavor. If the chiles are too leathery to clean, they can be heated slightly and again allowed to cool in the pickling liquid before trying again. The finished chiles should be soft and tender without losing their shape. Tip: it is better to allow them to soften slowly, overnight, with minimal cooking rather than cook them until they lose their shape and freshness. Reserve the chiles under refrigeration and use them within 2 weeks.
Note: The pickling liquid makes a flavorful sweet-sour dressing with the haunting savor and the gently heat of the chiles; do not discard!
Yield: 12 chiles
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