spicy carrot pickles

The sun is out and we've began to sprout.  From the ground.  Dirt blooms under my nails as a relative force.  Let's pickle that - in the name of spring.

spicy carrot pickles | makes 4 pint and a half jars
adapted from Canning for a New Generation

2 pounds carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
5 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon canning salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves
8 dried hot chilies
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 sprigs rosemary
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 shallot, thinly sliced lengthwise

In a wide preserving pan, combine the vinegar, 1 cup water, salt, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, then add carrots.  Cook carrots until just tender, 5-8 minutes.

Divide the chiles, garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and peppercorns between 4 hot, sterilized pint jars (or pint and a half if you have them).  Using tongs, transfer the hot carrots to jars (not packing them tightly) and fill empty spaces with slices of onion.

Ladle the hot pickling liquid into jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.  Finger-tighten lids and return jars to boiling water.  Process for 15 minutes.