Recipe: Pickled Eggs, Pickled Eggs with Beets, Pickled Chinese Eggs (using brines)

GARLIC PICKLED EGGS

2 dozen eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
4 sprigs tarragon or 1 T dried
8 cloves garlic, slivered
1 1/2 quarts cider vinegar
1 t mustard seed
2 bay leaves
1 t cardamom seed
2 t whole black peppercorns
2 t salt
1 1/2 T sugar

Pack the eggs in 4 one-pint jars with one spring tarragon and 2 cloves of garlic in each.

Combine remaining ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer gently 15 minutes.

Strain the hot vinegar over the eggs. Makes 4 pints.

PICKLED EGGS WITH BEETS

beets and eggs to fill the jar
1 onion, sliced
3 c water
1/2 c white wine or cider vinegar
2 T sugar (or to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Wash beets, cook until tender. Chill, peel and slice into a bowl. Slice onions on top.

Hard boil eggs, cool and peel.

Bring remaining ingredients to a boil. Pour hot mixture over beets and onions, cover with a plate and marinate until cool.

Layer beets, onions and eggs in a jar, fill with liquid. Keep in refrigerator.

NOTE: The outside of the egg achieves a beautiful purple color.

PICKLED CHINESE TEA EGGS (a.k.a. THOUSAND YEAR EGGS)

10-12 eggs
water to cover
3 T black tea leaves (or the equivalent in tea bags of Lipton or comparable tea)
1 T salt

Brine:
1 quart distilled white vinegar
4 hot red peppers, minced (remove seeds if desired)
1 T coriander seed
1 t black peppercorns
1 t salt
1 t mustard seed

Place eggs in water to cover and bring to a boil over medium heat; then cook gently 5-7 minutes. Reserve the water.

Cook eggs thoroughly under cold running water for 5 minutes. Then either roll each egg gently on a board or table or tap lightly with a spoon to crackle the entire shell.

Bring the reserved water to a boil again. There should be about 4 cups. If not, add more water. Add tea, salt and cracked eggs; then simmer, covered, until egg shells turn brown (about 1 hour).

Turn off the heat and let eggs stand, covered, 30 minutes more. Drain eggs and shell. May be eaten like this or pickled as follows:

Place peeled eggs in hot sterile jars and cover with brine that has boiled 15 minutes.

NOTE: These eggs look like antique 'cracked' porcelain.
Note: Pickled eggs are not canned, just safe to refrigerate.