Pretty doesn’t always equal tasty.
Our favorite local pizza spot is a pub that specializes in the Hot Oil Bar Pie – a paper-thin, crisp crust smeared with aromatic marinara, a blend of cheeses, and an olive-oil-soaked jalapeño pepper placed in the center of the pie (so the spicy oil disperses throughout as it bakes). The heat is all up-front, so people who can’t handle a lingering spiciness can still enjoy a slice. This is an amazing pizza.
Since the predominant kitchen motto in our house is “I bet we can make that”, and since we’ve received a half-dozen jalapeño peppers from our CSA share in the last few weeks, I followed the instructions received from our waitress on our last visit; topped the peppers, removed the seeds and ribs, packed them in olive oil, and left them to cure.
The result: moldy peppers and cloudy oil!
I’m assuming that the folks at Colony take a few more steps, and that their peppers are packed tightly (like cucumbers for pickles); slicing mine made them less sturdy and more slippery, which probably means they were less likely to stay submerged in the oil.
I’ve done a bit of reading on making other spiced oils, and have a new idea: rather than retain the peppers for use, I’ll chop them, infuse them into heated oil, then strain the solids and retain the oil for use in dressings and marinades and finishes. Sadly, the new plan may have to wait until next Sunday; I packed yesterday’s jalapeños into a new jar albeit without slicing them, before checking on the originals. (A classic food-preservation blunder!)
Dinner at the Country House 