Tricolor Pickled Peppers

Ingredients:

9 lb. mixed red, yellow, and orange bell peppers quartered lengthwise, stemmed and seeded
3 1/2 cup white basalmic vinegar
1 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup canning salt
12 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
6 (2 inches) sprigs fresh rosemary

Broil peppers in batches, skin sides up, on a broiler pan about 4 inches from heat until skinsare blistered and lightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes.
Transfer peppers to a large bowl and cover.
Let peppers steam until cool, then peel and separate by color.

Sterilize jars and lids.

Bring vinegar, water, sugar, salt, garlic and peppercorns to a boil in a 3 quart saucepan.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.

Fill jars with pepper quarters, alternating colors.
Tuck 2 garlic cloves (from pickling liquid) and 1 sprig of rosemary inside of each jar.
Fill jar with pickling liquid, leaving 1/4 inch headroom, run a knife between peppers and jar to eliminate air bubbles.
Process peppers for 20 minutes.

Let peppers stand in jars at least 1 week to develop flavor.
Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil as part of an antipasto platter.


Makes 6 (1 pint) jars