These pickles are bright and beautiful and fun for snacking. The recipe yields a large batch, so you’ll have plenty on hand and to give away or feel free to halve the recipe. They are a nice complement to many a meal, rich or not.
You can use a wide variety of vegetables. Green beans, asparagus, cabbage, radishes, chard stems (used here instead of red pepper); use what you have!
Yields 2 quarts
1 large fennel bulb, stalks cut off and discarded and bulb sliced lengthwise 1/3 inch thick, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 small head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch-wide florets (about 5 cups)
3 sweet peppers, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips (or chard stems, see headnote)
1 lb carrots, cut into 3- to 4-inch-long strips (1/4 inch thick)
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
6 cups water
5 garlic cloves, halved or 2 heads new garlic, clove separated
3 tablespoons sea or kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, slightly crushed
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, slightly crushed
Mix the vegetables well and pack them into 2, quart jars.
Bring remaining ingredients to a boil in a 3-quart non-reactive saucepan over moderate heat and simmer for a couple of minutes. Transfer pickling liquid to a 4-quart non-reactive bowl and cool for about 15 minutes. Discard garlic if it has turned blue (it can turn blue in reaction to the vinegar) and pour over vegetables to cover. Cover jars and refrigerate. You can eat them as soon as 12 hours after making them. They keep for about a month in the refrigerator.
Note: Stainless steel, enameled cast iron, and glass are non-reactive, but avoid pure aluminum and uncoated iron.
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