Pickled Hot Red Peppers

Ingredients

2 pounds hot red chili peppers small, fresh

4 Garlic cloves peeled OR- More if you like

8 whl allspice

24 Peppercorns

1 lrg Bay leaf torn into quarters

2 cups white vinegar

2 cups Water

2 teaspoons Salt

4 tablespoons olive oil as needed

Preparation

RINSE AND DRAIN THE PEPPERS; trim stems to a stub. Pack the peppers into 4wide-mouthed pint canning jars, dividing them equally. As the peppers arepacked, scatter among them a share of the seasonings:

In each jar place: 1 clove garlic split; 2 whole allspice; 6 peppercorns; and a piece of bay leaf.

Combine the vinegar, water and salt in a stainless-steel or enameled saucepan and heat the mixture to simmering. Pour the hot solution over thepeppers, covering them completely and leaving 1 inch of head space.

Removeany bubbles and add liquid if necessary to maintain head space. (If thereshould be insufficient solution to cover the peppers, make more in the sameproportions; no harm will be done if a few moments are required to do this.) Add enough olive oil to each jar to cover the surface of the liquid,about 1 tablespoon. Seal the jars with new two-piece canning lids, according to manufacturer's directions and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Cool, label and store the jars. The peppers are good toeat after 2 weeks, but they will be better after at least a month's rest inthe jar.

Makes 4 Jars