Pickled chili peppers

Wash the peppers, trim the stems to a stub and prick each pepper twice with a fork on opposite sides.

Bring the water to a boil, immediately remove it from the heat, and dissolve the salt in it to make a brine. Let it cool.

Combine the washed peppers and the cooled brine in a glass, plastic, stainless steel, or other non reactive container. Place a china plate on top of the peppers to hold them down in the brine. Use 2 if necessary. Soak the peppers in the brine for a minimum of 12 hours.

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a heavy bottom stainless steel sauce pan. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Wash and sterilize 8-12 pint-size canning jars and lids. In each sanitized, hot jar place 1/4 of a dried bay leaf, 1 garlic clove, several carrot slices, 1/2 of a shallot and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then pack the peppers into the jars. Pour marinading liquid into each jar leaving at least 1/2-inch of head space from the top of the liquid to the rim.

Use a boiling water bath method to seal the jars and process the peppers for 5 minutes. Store the jars in a cool, dark place for 3-4 weeks before using.

Refrigerate unused portions after youve opened a jar.