Name: Quick Giardiniera
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Ingredients: 6 ounces cauliflower , cut into 1-inch florets; 1 celery rib , sliced 1/4 inch thick; 1 carrot , sliced 1/4 inch thick; 1 1/4 cups seasoned rice vinegar; 1/4 cup water; 2 garlic cloves , peeled and halved; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns; 1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

Why This Recipe Works

Making your own quick pickles is fun and easy and can take as little as a few hours from start to finish. Most quick pickles begin with a brine of vinegar, salt, sugar, and seasonings. Starting with seasoned rice vinegar eliminated the guesswork, since it is already seasoned with a balanced amount of each. We bring the brine, flavored with garlic, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes, to a simmer, pour it over a mixture of cauliflower, celery, and carrot in a Mason jar, and then let the mixture cool completely. After a 3-hour refrigeration (or longer if possible), the pickles are ready to devour.

Before You Begin

Be sure to buy seasoned rice vinegar for this recipe. We call for a 1-quart glass jar, but a medium bowl will also work as long as the vegetables are fully submerged.

Instructions

Place cauliflower, celery, and carrot in 1-quart glass jar with tight-fitting lid. Combine vinegar, water, garlic, pepper flakes, peppercorns, and mustard seeds in small saucepan and bring to boil. Pour brine into jar, making sure all vegetables are submerged. Let cool completely. Affix jar lid and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Pickles will keep, refrigerated, for at least 1 week.