Hot Pepper Vinegar

Greens are an important part of a healthy Food Stamps diet.

I love kale, and have recently been experimenting with whatever type of green (collards, mustard, turnip, or good old kale) is the cheapest.

TIP: shop for your greens 15 minutes after your Farmers' Market is scheduled to close. Most farmers will be trying to get rid of those greens fast and will be willing to give you a good deal!

This week I had collards, and found a recipe in my new cookbook - Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. (Thank you Santa, aka, Mom.)

The recipe was very simple but it called for something I'd never encountered: Hot Pepper Vinegar.

As it turns out, Hot Pepper Vinegar is quite simple to make.


You could make it just by looking at the picture. In case you want the proportions, here is Moosewood's recipe:

1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp - 1 tblsp (depending on your spicy tolerance) hot sauce
You can also mix in some cayenne to taste

In a cruet or glass jar, combine the vinegar and hot pepper sauce and cayenne to taste. Shake it up! Hot Pepper Vinegar keeps indefinitely, refrigerated or not.

I'm putting mine in the fridge just in case. Makes for some easy, flavorful greens and I want it to stick around for awhile.

To make my greens:

Saute 1 onion or shallot in a little bit of olive oil in a big pot.
Add some garlic.
Put in your well washed greens, roughly chopped. (You should soak greens first to remove any dirt or grit, then rinse them off in a strainer before chopping.)
Pour a bit of water and some hot pepper vinegar over the greens and cover to let them steam. The amount of liquid you add depends on the quantity of greens you are cooking.

I sprinkled some rubbed sage on my greens at the end.
Optional, but tasty.