Giardiniera
Pronounced (Jar - Din - Air - Ah) Spicy Italian pickled vegetables used as a condiment for hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, salads, and antipasto platters, but we like 'em straight outta the jar!
Servings: 8 pints
Ingredients
PICKLING LIQUID:
- 2 1/2 c. distilled white vinegar
- 3 c. water
- 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 5 T. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
- 1/2 to 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
VEGETABLES:
- 1 (2 lb.) head cauliflower trimmed and broken into florets
- 4-5 carrots cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 2 lg. red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 lg. yellow bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4-5 ribs celery cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 c. frozen pearl onions
- 1 c. whole peperoncini peppers drained
- 1 c. greens olives drained
Instructions
- PICKLING LIQUID: Bring pickling liquid ingredients to a boil in a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a 4-quart nonreactive bowl and cool about 30 minutes.
- VEGETABLES: Bring 6 quarts unsalted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot. Have ready a large bowl of ice and cold water, and a large colander. Add cauliflower to pot and boil until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to ice bath to stop cooking.
- Cook remaining vegetables separately in same manner, allowing 4 minutes for carrots, 3 minutes each for bell peppers, 2 minutes for celery and 1 minute for onions. Drain all vegetables in a colander.
- Add cooked vegetables, peperoncini, and olives to pickling liquid, Weight vegetables with a plate to keep them submerged, then chill, covered, at least 1 day. Transfer to jars. Refrigerate up to 2 or 3 weeks, if they last that long!
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