Most commercial giardinieras use straight vinegar, but I’ve added a bit of olive oil to balance the tartness and make this more like a pickled veggie salad. If you can’t «nd shishito peppers or baby bell peppers, ½-inch (1 cm) strips of red bell peppers will do the trick.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (115 g) shishito or baby bell peppers
- 4 carrots, cut into ¼ x 1½-inch (6 cm x 3.5 cm) matchsticks
- 4 celery ribs, preferably center, thinly sliced
- 4 cups (12 ounces, or 340 g) 1-inch cauliflower florets
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (56 g) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup (235 ml) pure olive oil
- 2 cups (475 ml) distilled white vinegar
- 1 cup (235 ml) water
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) dried oregano, crumbled
How to Make It
- Poke the peppers all over with a skewer. Place them into a large, tall glass or plastic container. Add the carrots, celery, and cauliflower. In a large bowl, combine the salt, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaves with 6 cups (1.4 L) of water. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Pour the brine over the vegetables, and top with a small plate to keep them submerged. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
- Drain the vegetables, rinsing briefly and shake out the excess liquid. Pack the vegetables into 2 clean, quart-size (950 ml) jars, and add ½ cup (118 ml) of oil to each jar. In a small, nonreactive saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, and oregano. Bring to a boil. Pour the hot liquid into the jars, seal, and let cool at room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
