From The Garden

Farmer’s Giardiniera

Giardiniera translates to “from the garden”, and is a mixture of different fresh vegetables that have been quickly pickled in a vinegar/oil mixture. It can also be called “sottaceti” (“under vinegar”). Great for a typical Italian antipasto platter, alongside grilled meats, or used as a condiment in sandwiches like Muffuletta. Traditionally, Giardiniera  was made from the vegetables left over from a last harvest. Since there is no cooking involved, this is a quick, easy and delicious recipe to make. You can spice this recipe up by using hotter peppers like Serrano.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

• 2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets

• 10 white pearl onions, halved

• 2 carrots, thinly sliced rounds

• 1 Cubanelle pepper, thinly sliced rounds, seeded

• 1 long green hot pepper, thinly sliced rounds, seeded

• 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced rounds, unseeded

• 1 small red pepper, seeded, quartered and thinly sliced

• 1 small yellow pepper, seeded, quartered and thinly sliced

• 3 large garlic cloves, halved

• ½ cup Attina Calabrian green olives

• ½ cup small black olives ( in-store olive bar)

• ½ cup sea salt

• Cold filtered water

• 1 tbsp. Kivotos dried oregano, removed from stem and crumbled

• 1 tbsp. fennel seeds

• 1 large bay leaf

• ¾ cup white vinegar

• ¾ cup Ponti apple cider vinegar

• 1½ cup Gustolio extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

• Place celery, cauliflower, onions, carrots, assorted peppers and garlic in a deep glass dish or bowl.

• In another bowl, whisk sea salt with cold filtered water and add enough water to cover vegetable mixture. Refrigerate salted vegetable mixture for 10-12 hours or overnight.

• The following day, add assorted olives to the vegetable mixture. Drain salt water from vegetable mixture and rinse well with cold filtered water, rinsing several times.

• In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil and vinegars. Add oregano, fennel seeds and bay leaf to the oil/vinegar mix, pour over vegetable mixture. Transfer into large mason jars and refrigerate for 2 days before using. Keep refrigerated for 2 weeks.