Pickled vegetables are trendy these days—you can find them on most menus. However, they have been around for awhile and many cuisines feature them in one form or another. Think Vietnamese sandwiches known as Banh Mi, in Moroccan cuisine carrots are the pickled vegetable of choice, and Indian restaurants serve many varieties of pickles along with most of their entrees. The pickled vegetables above are very easy to make. They keep for a week or so in the fridge, “but mine never last that long—we put them on everything”. You can play with the brine by adding spices, and or herbs. I used star anise with the red onions that gave the onions a hint of the far east. In the mixed vegetables I used yellow mustard seeds for crunch. Whole cloves, garlic, thyme sprigs or peppercorns also work well.

Vegetables:

• 2 carrots peeled and cut into julienne strips as thin as you can get them. I use this tool

• 1/2 red bell pepper julienned

• 1/2 yellow bell pepper

• 2 Persian cucumbers or 4” of a regular one cut into julienned strips. Omit the seeds in the center part of the cucumber

• 1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard seed

Note: You can use snap peas, radishes, cauliflower, or zucchini. I encourage you to experiment!

Using a quart-sized jar with a lid, layer the vegetables starting with the red peppers. Once you have them all in pour the warm brine over the vegetables leaving a 1/4” space at the top. Seal with the lid and put in the fridge. The vegetables can be eaten in an hour. They get better by the day.

Brine:

• 1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar

• 1 1/4 cups water

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

  In a non-reactive pan add the vinegar, sugar and salt over low heat. Occasionally stir the mixture until the salt and sugar dissolve, turn off the heat and pour in the water. Leave in pan to cool slightly.