Betsy Burlingame dries them, pickles them, stuffs them, makes marmalade with them—and more.
The avid WSU Clallam County Master Gardener loves peppers for their flavor-packed punch and has been growing her own in her Sequim greenhouse for years.
Here, she shares some of her go-to pepper recipes.
Jalapeño Poppers
4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup minced green onions
3 tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon lime juice
12 to 15 fresh jalapeño peppers of equal size
1 egg
1 cup panko or dried bread crumbs (or finely crushed tortilla chips)
Combine the cream cheese, garlic, onions, cheddar cheese and lime juice. Cut each pepper in half, lengthwise, keeping stem intact on one half. Cut out seed lump and remove veins for a milder popper. Fill pepper halves equally with cheese mixture, spreading surface smooth.
Whip egg until frothy (add a little water if too thick). Put crumbs in a small bowl. Dip filled pepper halves, one at a time, in egg, then roll in crumbs. Set poppers slightly apart on a broiler pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned and crisp.
Bacon-wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
12 to 15 slices of bacon
12 to 15 fresh jalapeño peppers of equal size
8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
Cut bacon pieces in half, and render some of the fat by microwaving until limp but not crisp. Cut each jalapeño in half, lengthwise, keeping stem intact on one half. Carefully cut out seed lump and remove veins for a milder popper. Fill halves with cream cheese. Wrap each cheese-filled jalapeño half with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Set poppers slightly apart on a broiler pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned and crisp.
Hot Pepper Sauce
1 pound peppers (Use any combination you want—jalapeño, habanero, banana, Hungarian purple peppers.)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 ½ cups distilled white vinegar
De-stem the peppers, and combine them with the kosher salt in either a food processor or blender and pulse until mixture becomes a coarse puree. Pour into a clean quart jar, seal, and let stand at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
Stir in vinegar, and mix well.
Let mixture stand at room temperature for up to 7 days, stirring daily. The longer it sits, the better the flavor. After a week, pour mixture into a blender and puree for at least 1 minute. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large (at least 4 cups) measuring cup. Liquid can be then transferred to smaller bottles and stored for up to 6 months in the refrigerator. Liquid will look cloudy and the solids will settle, so shake well before using.
Bonus: The leftover pepper puree can be frozen into tablespoon-sized piles on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and frozen. Store the pepper piles in a quart-size freezer bag, and use them as “hot bombs” for soups, stews, chili, or anything else you want for a little—or a lot—of heat. These will keep for up to 6 months as well.
Pickled Peppers
4 cups assorted peppers
1 ½ cups distilled white vinegar
3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
Cut peppers into ¼-inch rings. Place all into a clean quart-size jar. Bring the vinegar, 1 ½ cups water, and all remaining ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over peppers. Seal the jar and let cool on counter. Let marinate for at least 24 hours and keep in refrigerator until eaten.
Jalapeño-infused Tequila
1 pint blanco or silver tequila
1 medium-sized jalapeño
Thinly slice jalapeño. Remove seeds for less heat, if desired. Place slices in a clean pint-sized jar, pour in tequila, and let sit anywhere from a few hours to a week. The longer it sits the spicier it gets.
“I’ve set it out in the early afternoon and used it for margaritas at dinner. It doesn’t take much time,” Betsy Burlingame says. “If it’s been sitting for a week, I might cut it with un-infused tequila.”