Peppers and Dehydrating

 You can and should dry any kind of pepper you can get your hands on. I have done everyone from Jalapeno to baby sweet peppers. They come in so handy for jam and cooking . The list of things you can do is endless. Just slice them put them on you trays and dry. I use my food saver to store. I have also put them into mason jars.

I have used my dried Jalapeno for Strawberry Rhubarb Spicy Spread  this is super good with some cheese and crackers. They did a spread in the Star about this spread it is famous....How funny is that .....

You can dry your peppers  many way. You can dry them whole just take off the top stem and lay them flat onto the trays. You could crush them of leave them whole after they are done. Go to the bottom of this post for the how to on drying them whole this makes a great gift when tied together and topped with a nice label and a jar of jam to boot!

Peppers are powerful plants. Take precautions when preparing fresh peppers and when drying the pods. Wear protective gloves. And for gosh sakes do not touch you face when cutting or prepping the peppers.

If you have a dehydrating machine use it you can also use the oven. . Remove the stems, then lay out the peppers in the trays so that they do not overlap.

For fast, even drying, I cut the peppers in slices. You will end up with many seeds at the bottom of the drier but that is ok just scoop them out and add them to the jar.
Make sure you place your dehydrator in a well ventilated area no matter what you are drying because there is always a lot of fumes and smells.Follow the temperature setting from your instruction booklet. Your final, intended result will be the same as natural drying.

Leave the fresh peppers whole and be sure to include the stem when you pick them . Use a strong needle & thread to loosely sew the stems together. Be sure to leave enough space between each pepper pod to ensure proper air circulation. Hang the clusters up to dry, preferably in a cool, dark place, but many people choose to hang their pepper clusters in places where they can be seen and enjoyed while they dry, like in the kitchen.

I hope this helped you to enjoy your peppers and make  them last all year long.

Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde this is a great side to have for any party or gathering. I having been canning up a storm for any of you who don't know I love cooking and canning.

Here is the story I know it is a bit winded!




 

I made a batch of red salsa a few months ago but was dismayed with it. But this batch I think is good. The history is we eat at a little Mexican restaurant down the street for years. So every time I go in I ask for the recipe for the Salsa Verde and each time she gives me just a bit never the whole thing. Finally on my B day she gave me what I think was the last parts of the recipe. Her last words were "miss yanie you no have des ting we have to grind da red peepers in" oh yes I do Missy I got it when I took the cooking class in New Mexico now I may have never used it but I have one god dam it, sooo I go home and try it. Well two days later seven trips to the Mexican market, endless dishes flying and being washed the motor to the food processor is smokin and try to go to the Mexican market speaking English not a good thing when I'm trying to get the produce boy to help me. This young man is looking like a curious dog tipped head and the things he pointed to told me he did not know what I needed.

So I ask the guys behind the meat counter that holds large pigs feet, goat intestine and other things that are delicious until ya know what they are ....ugggg ...but these guys start talking in Spanish and I know they are saying they would like to take me home undress me and take advantage of me and I'm just smiling while they grin. Twenty mintes later I go to the lady in front maybe just maybe she can help? I ask her some questions and she says you need to spend 5 dollars to use the debit card for god sake I did not even purchase anything yet
HELP I'm in Spanish hell and cant get out!!!!!!!!!

So grill, peel, cook and then add spices a bit of this then a little bit of that. So I took the my dried red peppers and put them on the grill and POOF up they went like a dried out Christmas tree. I was suppose to grind them in the what cha ma call it. So yup back to the Mexican store and every time I went in back they all just stood shaking there head and I was just laughing as usual. Now I'm at the point of canning. When I first made it it was so hot that it would have blown grown mans head off. Not funny so three pounds of tomatillos later plus a few key ingredients that the owner of the market told me about and wala yummy Salas Verde. Here is the recipe and some pictures. I'm going to share my cookery with you guys now my measurement are as accurate as they told me.






Salsa Verde al la Lani
Makes approximately 12- 1/2 pint or 8 pint

Ingredient
3 pounds pf tomatillos grilled
4 Jalapenos peppers grilled
4 Serrano peppers grilled
4 garlic cloves whole grilled
1/2  cup fresh lemon juice or Apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon of ground turmeric
1 tablespoons of fresh chopped oregano
1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
2 finely ground dried Los Arboles Chilies
1 teaspoon chicken bullion granules
1/2 cube Achiote (Mexican paste)
1/4 cup of sugar
2 finely chopped white onions

I find the grilling is what gives this Salas Verde it's great taste.....and I just love grilling


Ok so grill the Tomatillos, jalapenos and serrano's.
Remove from the grill take the stems only off the tomatillo's
Do the same with the peppers and peel.
Once they are all stemmed and peeled pop them into the food processor with the garlic to chop...do not loose any juices just pour them in a  large pot. .

Chop the onions, cilantro, oregano add to the pot and with the rest of the ingredients cook all for an hour. I let mine sit for the day and simmer.......









The Achiote (Mexican paste) gives the salsa a distinct color and really a authentic taste. I got the tip from the man who runs one of the biggest Mexican markets in Ventura County and it really does make a difference. It takes a while for it to break down so soak it in some liquid prior to putting it in your pot. 




Now this may seem silly but with my Salsa Verde I put it  in the refrigerator over night. I find it better the next day to warm it back up prior to canning it ....taste and add what you may think it needs.
Sometimes you want a bit more spicy.....try it ....This way if you need to add anything you can once you have the recipe the way you like it make sure you have written down anything you have added.

Either way you will need to fill your jars to 1/4 inch from the top, wipe the rim, cap and give them a water bath of at least 15 minutes.

This is a Ribbon Winner two years in a row.....................Good Luck and enjoy