Spicy. Sweet. Tangy. Pickled.

Oooh, these are so fabulous. This is a bit of an unusual pickling recipe but it delivers an amazingly tangy, sweet and spicy pickled pepper ring that complements any soup, salad, side dish or meat entree. It only requires a few ingredients and is easily sealed in a hot-water bath, with no special equipment or extra work necessary. I adapted this recipe from Linda Ziedrich’s “Joy of Pickling.”

First, slice and, if you like, seed about 2 lbs. of jalapeno peppers. For the best visual effect (I love a pretty pickle as much as I like a tasty one), use a variety of colors and sizes.

As a public service announcement, let me tell you: you are not, I repeat, NOT, too cool for gloves. No pain is worse than the burning of your eyes when you accidentally rub one of them with a peppery hand. Use gloves when slicing these peppers or you’ll pay for it later!

Then start a quart of apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons pickling salt and 2 teapoons honey in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Then add the slices of jalapenos and bring it to a boil again.

Add the sliced peppers to clean, sterilized jars, and add a teaspoon each of black peppercorns, whole coriander seeds and a slice of fresh garlic. The pour the liquid from the jalapenos into each jar and add about a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to each jar.

Seal the jars in a hot water bath for about 10 minutes. For best results, store the jars in a cool, dry place for about three weeks, and let the peppers get as spicy and delicious as possible.