Charcuterie Plate, Sighing and Almost

Recently, I auditioned for a nationally televised cooking show. (I'm under contract to keep my trap shut as to the name of said show.) For the audition, each of us had to bring a dish that exemplified our cooking skill. I brought a charcuterie plate.

"Charcuterie" comes from the French word for pork butcher. A charcuterie plate is a dish of selected meat items with accompaniments. It demonstrates the chef's skill in preparing meat.  What better dish to bring to this audition?

Going clockwise from the top left, the items in my charcuterie plate were Chicken Liver Pate Mousse with Onion Marmalade, Creole Mustard in Citrus Bowl, Pink Pickled Egg with Pink Peppercorns and 18 - Month Aged Cheese, Cactus Pickles, Baguette.  I made everything in the photo except the glass jar and cutting board.

Yeah.  I seriously considered making the cutting board, too. (Who you callin' obsessive???)

At the audition, the chef who tasted my dish loved it! They gave me a callback! However, they never called again. Almost, but not quite. *Sigh*  Their loss is your gain, my friends. I'll be posting recipes for your culinary enjoyment.  Nyah. So there, Ms. Casting Director.

Maybe I should have made the cutting board, after all. Drat.

Pickled Peppers for Jacqueline

Dear Auntie, 

Help!! I have a bunch of peppers that I want to can...I have the time, the recipe, the vineger, the jars and the desire...just don't know how??????

Jacqueline

Dear Jacqueline,

Never fear. Auntie's here.

A few notes for your edification: The heat of the peppers determines the heat of the finished product. Only use pickling salt. Any other salt contains additives that will cloud the vinegar brine.  After the peppers have been used, try sprinkling the vinegar brine on cooked greens, for an authentic Southern treat.

As with all canned pickled, these are best after they sit and mellow for a couple of weeks. Then again, aren't we all at our best after a proper mellowing?

Be blessed,

Auntie

Pickled Peppers

1 ½ pound sliced jalapeno peppers
1 pound yellow onion, cut into 1 inch square chunks
1 pound sliced carrots
9 cups white vinegar
9 cups water
1 cup pickling salt
3 bunches cilantro
2 heads garlic, cloves separated and coarsely chopped

Mix together peppers, onions and carrots. 

In large pot, pour boil vinegar, water and salt.  Add cilantro and garlic. Bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover and let simmer 15 minutes. Strain out cilantro and garlic. Return to pot and bring back up to boil.

Put vegetables in sterilized pint jars. Pour strained vinegar brine over vegetable.  A sprig of cilantro may be added to each jar.

Process 15 minutes in boiling water bath.  Makes about  12 pints.