Recipe: Giardiniera (Pickled Vegetables)

GIARDINIERA (PICKLED VEGETABLES)

Makes about 8 cups, or enough to fill 4 pint-sized jars.

Note: This pickle is nicely flavored within hours, but continues to improve over the first few days and holds well for a month or more. Recipe is easily halved. Adapted from "Quick Pickles," by Chris Schlesinger, John Willoughby and Dan George

• 8 c. total, of the following vegetables, in any proportion you like, prepped in the following manner:

• Carrots (peeled, then cut into 1/2-in. chunks at thickest end, and successively longer chunks as carrot narrows; prettiest if done on diagonal)

• Cauliflower (cored and separated into florets of about 1-in. diameter)

• Onion (halved end to end, then sliced into 1/2-in. wedges)

• Green beans (stems removed; halved if particularly long, otherwise left whole)

• Radishes (stemmed and quartered)

• Celery (cut into 3/4-in. segments, with leaves intact)

Flavoring:

• 6 or 7 large garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed

Brine:

• 3 c. white wine vinegar

• 13/4 c. water

• 2 tbsp. sugar

• 1 tbsp. kosher salt

• 2 tsp. fennel seed

• 2 tsp. black peppercorns

Directions

In a large non-reactive bowl, combine vegetables with the garlic and herbs; toss well to mix.

To prepare brine: In a medium pan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, crushed bay leaves, fennel seed and peppercorns. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes (salt and sugar should be completely dissolved).