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Hot and Spicy Pickled Eggs
I was first introduced to pickled eggs in college, where a group of us would hang out in an old wood-paneled bar, drink beer, shoot pool, and eat pickled eggs and pretzel sticks. Even after all these years, I still like pickled eggs and pretzels. When making them, I add a little juice from pickled beets to color them just like the original eggs, but you can color them yellow with ground turmeric or leave them natural. To prevent the dark green line that sometimes forms around the yolk, immediately plunge the egg in cold water to cool them down. The ring forms because of a reaction with the iron in the yolk and the sulfur in the whites. Over the years, I began adding chiles to “jack-up” the heat level. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.
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12 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
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4 jalapeño chiles, cut in half, stem and seeds removed or substitute habanero chiles
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1 tablespoon kosher or pickling salt
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1½ cups white vinegar
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½ cup water
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1 tablespoon commercial pickling spice
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1 tablespoon pickled beet liquid, optional
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1 teaspoon white peppercorns, crushed
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1 bay leaf
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½ teaspoons allspice, crushed
Put the eggs and chiles in a clean glass jar.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for mixture for 10 minutes. Let the pickling liquid cool for 15 minutes and then pour over the eggs.
Cover the jar and refrigerate for a week to allow the eggs to absorb the flavors. The eggs will keep for several weeks under refrigeration.
To serve, place an egg on a square of waxed butchers wrapping paper, add some pretzel sticks, and pop the top off a cold one.
Yield: 12 eggs
Heat Scale: Medium Hot to Hot
Wilted Spinach with Bacon and Balsamic Dressing
This is a simple, hearty salad that is often served as an entree at our house. With a cup of chilled soup and a piece of hearty bread, it makes a great summer meal on a hot day. Use only the freshest of spinach—be sure the leaves are chilled before pouring the dressing hot over the top. This is a salad I finish at the table for a dramatic effect when it crackles and wilts.
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6 cups fresh spinach, washed, dried, and chilled
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1 small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
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2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
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2 to 3 slices bacon
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3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
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1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
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2 teaspoons crushed red chile
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Freshly ground black pepper
Arrange the spinach in a large salad bowl, add the onions, and top with the eggs. Place the salad in the refrigerator and chill thoroughly.
Heat a skillet until medium hot, add the bacon and fry until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Crumble the bacon and reserve.
In a bowl, whisk the two vinegars together to combine.
Pour off all but 3 to 3 ½ tablespoons of the bacon fat from the skillet. Heat the fat and add the crushed chile, being very careful that the chile doesn’t burn.
Toss the salad with the vinegar mixture, pour the hot oil over the top and toss gently to coat and wilt. The spinach edges should be slightly softened and the remainder of the leaf still crisp. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and the reserved crumbled bacon and serve on chilled salad plates.
Yield: 4 servings
Heat Scale: Mild
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