Recipe: Sweet Pickled Chipotles (Mexican)

SWEET PICKLED CHIPOTLES

"These sweet-hot mouthfuls will become your treasure in the refrigerator. They can be made with either the light-brown or the black-red chipotles: Both work well when you set them out on the table as a condiment for nibbling or when you slice up these sweet-sour little firecrackers to enliven soups, eggs or snacks. Pickled chipotles also are famous on the crispy little chalupitas in Chilapa - this recipe was shared with me by a restaurant cook there, and on cemita sandwiches in Puebla."

4 ounces (about 50) chipotle chiles (this recipe is traditionally made with the cranberry-red chiles called chipotle colorado or morita, but the same weight of the sandy brown chipotle meco would work, too)
1 cup cider vinegar
4 small cones (4 ounces total)) piloncfilo (unrefined sugar or 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 sprigs fresh marjoram (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
3 bay leaves
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and halved
Salt, about 2 teaspoons

TO SOAK THE CHILES:
Place the chiles in a medium-size (2- to 3-quart) saucepan, cover with water and bring to a full rolling boil.

Drain off all the water, cover with warm tap water, lay a small plate on top of the chiles to keep them submerged and let stand 10 minutes.

Drain, cover once again with warm water, lay on the plate and let stand 10 more minutes.

Drain off most of the water, then transfer to a jar (preferably one with a noncorrosive lid) large enough to comfortably hold all the chiles.

PICKLING THE CHILES:
In the saucepan, combine all the remaining ingredients with 1 1/4 cups of water. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour the hot liquid over the chiles and stir to mix the garlic and herbs down into the chiles as best you can. The chiles should be completely submerged, if there's not quite enough liquid to cover them, add equal parts cider vinegar and water. Taste the liquid for salt (it should be a little salty), cover and refrigerate a day or more before serving.

Makes about 4 cups
Source: Mexican Kitchen by Rick Bayless