Recipe: Pique Boricua (Puerto Rican Tabasco) and Bird Pepper Vinegar Pique for Peter

You are lucky Peter!

PIQUE BORICUA (PUERTO RICAN TABASCO)
Prepares: a 16-oz bottle

(A)
1 2/3 cups water
4 to six ounces of pineapple rind and core
(B)
8 small red chilies (ajies caballeros)
4 garlic cloves in big slices
1 tb black pepper in whole grains, without crushing
1/2 tsp oregano leaves (dry)
1/8 tsp salt
(C)
16 oz glass bottle with a tight cover (1 pint)
1 glass bowl

(A)
1. Place the pineapple rinds and core in a glass bowl.
2. Heat water just to boiling and pour into the bowl.
3. Allow the pineapple mixture to ferment during at least 24 hours.
4. You can tell when the mixture has fermented by a tangy smell and taste.

(B)
5. Drop all ingredients included in (B) above into the 16 oz glass bottle.
6. Strain the pineapple mixture and pour into the bottle.
7. Cover the bottle tightly and ley it ferment for about five days.
8. After fermenting, keep in the refrigerator.
9. This pique is quite HOT and should be used sparingly.
10. Use at the table to enhance the taste of soups, beans, rice dishes

NOTE:
You may substite the ingredients in A for an easier recipe:
Pour 1 cup white cider vinegar and 2/3 cups pineapple juice into a glass bowl. Skip steps 1 and 2 and follow through the rest of the recipe above.

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BIRD PEPPER VINEGAR PIQUE
(PIQUE DE VINAGRE Y AJ ES BRAVOS)
Yield: 1 cup

Here is a classic pique recipe from Puerto Rico. As usual, the longer the chiles steep, the hotter the sauce will be. It should be stored in a bottle with a sprinkler cap so the amount of sauce can be controlled as it is sprinkled over grilled fish, poultry, or even into salads. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

1 cup cider vinegar
10 to 20 "bird peppers" (chiltepins), or any small, hot chile, fresh or dry
4 cloves garlic, halved
10 whole peppercorns
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 sprig fresh oregano, cilantro, or mint (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and allow to steep in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours to blend the flavors.