Pickled Vegetables
Jan

11/01/05 		I would like information on how to pickle vegetables in large jars, as the Greeks and Italians do so very well.

What type of vegetables are the most successful
can I use garlic and mushrooms.

I would like to know what type of vinegar that they are in and also if I can add spices?

Would it be possible for me to add Feta cheese or would it go off?

Hoping someone might have their own very successful recipe to share.And how they prepare the veg before going into the jars.

I would like the layered look rather than the all in together look
Thank you

ellen

11/03/05 		These vegetables are generally blanched in boiling water and then plunged into cold to stop the cooking, then marinated in what is essentially Italian dressing made with a white or white wine vineger at about 4 percent, which is a bit weaker than what we get in the bottle. You measure your vinegar, then add 1/4 that much water.

Spices or Italian seasoning, yes
garlic , yes, but I like to roast it first
olives, pickled peppers, capers can be drained and added just as they are
mushrooms- have had good luck with canned, drained, bad luck with fresh. Go figure!

feta NO, but you can cube it, marinate it overnight in the same dressing, and add it at serving time

tomatoes, No, unless they are already previously dried and soaked in oil

ellen

11/03/05 		By the way, here is the recipe I posted elsewhere on the forum for antipasto vegetables:
Antipasto Vegetables
Raw vegetables are brined overnight, then marinated. Keeps three weeks in the refrigerator if the tuna is omitted. Usually served chilled or room temperature.
1 gallon 50 appetizer servings or 32 salad servings .

4 cups chopped cauliflower
4 cups pearl onions
2 cups chopped red bell peppers
2 cups chopped green bell peppers
2 cups chopped celery
2 cucumbers - peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cups carrots, thin circles or diced
2 cups fruity olive oil
2 cups distilled white vinegar, rice wine or champagne vinegar- not balsamic
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon pickling spice, wrapped in cheesecloth
1 cup black olives
1 cup pitted green olives
4 cups marinated or canned mushrooms, drained, whole preferred
OPTIONAL: 1 cup large capers, drained
OPTIONAL 1 1/2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked OR 3 tablespoons rinsed chopped anchovies or anchovy paste
salted water for soaking, 1 tablespoon salt per gallon

In a large bowl with enough lightly salted water to cover, place the cauliflower, pearl onions, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, celery and cucumbers. Soak refrigerated 8 to 12 hours, or overnight.
In a small bowl with enough lightly salted water to cover, place the carrots. Soak 8 to 12 hours refrigerated, or overnight.
In a 6 quart Dutch oven (NOT cast iron or aluminum), place the olive oil, vinegar, tomato paste and pickling spice. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Drain and rinse the carrots, and place them in the mixture. Cook 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the vegetables in the cauliflower mixture. Add them to the saucepan. Cook 10 minutes more, or until the cauliflower is tender but crisp.
Stir black olives, green olives, mushrooms, capers and tuna into the mixture. Remove the mixture from heat. Discard the wrapped pickling spice. While still hot, transfer to sterile containers and refrigerate.