• September 16th, 2017
• Comments Off on A house favorite: Pickled Cherry Bombs

Haven’t had a cherry bomb pepper before? Do yourself a favor and buy a jar today! These little guys have so much flavor. The canning process mellows out their flavor beautifully, creating the perfect level of heat and sweetness. We always keep a jar in the fridge to make things a little more exciting – whether it’s adding them to a sandwich or chopping them up and tossing them in a simple salad.

Here are our favorite uses beyond simple sandwiches:

-Add some of the brine to your Bloody Mary

-Chop & toss with arugula & goat cheese crumbles for a satisfying salad

-Add some much needed color and massive flavor to omelets

-Use as a pizza topping or in pasta salad

Chicken Paprikash with Pickled Cherry Bomb Peppers

(Recipe adapted from the New York Times. Photo by NYT)

Serves 4-6

4lbs chicken thighs & drumsticks (or whole chicken legs)
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

4 tablespoons Pickled Cherry Bombs, chopped

1 tablespoon of brine (from Pickled Cherry Bombs)

1 cup chicken broth

1 lb egg noodles

¾ cup sour cream
Heat oven to 400. Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Heat the oil & 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, heavy, oven-safe sauté pan set over high flame, until the butter is foaming. Sear the chicken in batches, skin-side down, until it is golden & crisp, approx. 5-7 minutes. Turn the chicken over & repeat on the other side, approx. 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the accumulated fat in the pot. Return the pot to the stove, over medium heat, & add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently to scrape off any browned bits of chicken skin, until the onion has softened & gone translucent, approx. 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir again, cooking until softened, approx. 3-4 minutes. Add the paprika & the flour, then stir well to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes, cherry bomb peppers, brine & broth. Stir until smooth & then add the chicken back to the pan, skin-side up. Slide the pan into the oven. Cook until the chicken has cooked through & the sauce has thickened slightly, about 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, set a large pot of heavily salted water to boil over high heat. Cook noodles until they are just al dente, approx. 7-8 minutes. Drain the noodles, & toss them in a bowl with the remaining butter. Place the chicken on top of the noodles. Add the sour cream to the sauce, stir to combine and ladle it over the chicken.

If you like this recipe, check out our preserve periodical for more great recipes & ideas for using our preserves!

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