Best Giardiniera Recipes

GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, combine vinegar, sugar, water, canning salt, oregano and fennel seed. Bring to a boil. Add cauliflower, carrots, celery and onions; return to a boil. Remove from heat; add peppers., Carefully ladle hot mixture into 10 hot 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2- in. headspace. Add a bay leaf and 2 peppercorns to each jar; divide garlic slices among jars. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding more hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. , Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

GIARDINIERA, SWEET AND/OR HOT (PICKLED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Sweet: Combine all ingredients and refrigerate in a clean, tightly closed glass jar for 2 days before serving.
• Hot: Combine the water, vinegar, and salt in a pan and boil for a minute or so.
• Pour the hot mixture over the vegetables leaving 1/4 inch head space and cover.
• Allow the hot peppers and vegetables to pickle in a cool place for 2 to 3 weeks before serving.

HOMEMADE HOT GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups water and the salt in a glass or non-reactive bowl. Mix until the salt is dissolved. Add the carrots, cauliflower, serranos, garlic, celery and bell pepper to the salt water and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Day 2, drain and rinse the vegetables. In a clean bowl, mix together the oil with the oregano and pepper. Add the vegetables and mix to combine. Allow to marinate overnight. Giardiniera will only get better with time. After 2 days at the most in the bowl, you can place in air-tight mason jars and keep in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 weeks.

GIARDINIERA -- MIXED PICKLED VEGETABLES FOR CANNING -- U S D A

Steps:

• Combine vegetables, cover with 2 inches of cubed or crushed ice, and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours.
• In 8-quart kettle, combine vinegar and mustard and mix well.
• Add salt, sugar, celery seed, mustard seed, cloves, turmeric.
• Bring to a boil.
• Drain vegetables and add to hot pickling solution.
• Cover and slowly bring to a boil.
• Drain vegetables but save pickling solution.
• Fill vegetables in sterile pint jars, or clean quarts, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
• Add pickling solution, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
• Adjust lids and process pints for 5 minutes at altitudes up to 1000 feet, 10 minutes from 1000 to 6000 feet and 15 minutes over that. Quarts are processed 10, 15 and 20 minutes depending upon your altitude.

CHICAGO-STYLE HOT GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss cauliflower, celery, carrot and peppers with salt. Add cold water to cover. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., Drain vegetables; rinse with cold water and drain again. In a large nonreactive bowl, whisk vinegar, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes. Gradually whisk in oil until blended. Add olives and drained vegetables; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, overnight to allow flavors to blend., Transfer mixture to jars. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, bay leaf, cloves, celery seeds, and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients and return to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid.

CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN WITH GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Pound chicken breasts with a meat mallet to an even 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Pulse croutons in a small food processor until they have a fine consistency. Put flour, eggs, and crouton crumbs into 3 separate shallow dishes.
• Dip each breast first into flour, shaking off the excess. Next, dip into egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Coat chicken in crouton crumbs and set on a plate.
• Heat oil over medium heat in a large oven-proof skillet until hot. Fry chicken for 2 minutes, flip, and fry an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons giardiniera and 1 slice of cheese.
• Cook in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 8 to 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Top with parsley before serving.

ITALIAN SLOW COOKER BEEF SANDWICHES WITH GIARDINIERA AIOLI

Steps:

• For the beef: Combine the chuck, bell peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and some pepper in a slow cooker. Cook on the low setting for 8 hours. Use a ladle to remove some of the excess fat from the surface, then coarsely shred the beef with two forks. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the aioli: Place the egg, garlic and Dijon in a food processor and pulse to combine. With the motor running, add the olive oil and vegetable oil in a very slow steady stream until it is all incorporated. Add the in the giardiniera to the food processor and pulse until chopped. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread about 2 tablespoons of the aioli on both sides of the bread and then make sandwiches with the shredded beef. Serve immediately.
• In a small bowl, mix together the basil, marjoram, oregano, parsley, granulated garlic, rosemary, thyme and red pepper flakes. Store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Toast bay leaf and peppercorns. Combine vinegar, olive oil, salt, sugar, pepper flakes, and oregano in a pot and bring to a simmer. Add bay leaves and peppercorns. Steep 5 minutes.
• Strain bay leaves and peppercorns. Reserve liquid. Place vegetables in a 1 quart container. Pour liquid over vegetables and let sit for two days before using.

GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Bring the vinegar, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, the bay leaves, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the cauliflower, fennel, red onion, carrots and garlic. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Let the vegetables cool in the brine, then refrigerate until chilled. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

REFRIGERATOR GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Combine summer squash, carrots, cauliflower, orange and red bell peppers, onion, and chile peppers in a non-reactive plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Add salt and water to cover. Cover with the lid and shake gently to evenly distribute the salt. Let stand at room temperature overnight.
• Drain the vegetables in a colander. Rinse thoroughly with cold tap water and drain well.
• Immerse three 1-quart jars in simmering water to sterilize.
• Place 1 sliced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 oregano sprig, 1/3 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/3 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 bay leaf in each jar. Add the vegetables, packing them tightly into the jar but not so tight that they get blemished.
• Whisk 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup grapeseed oil, and vinegar together in a bowl until evenly combined. Pour mixture over the vegetables so they are completely covered. Mix more vinegar, olive oil and grapeseed oil, in equal amounts, if more liquid is needed.
• Cover jars with plastic storage caps and refrigerate for 2 days before using. The giardiniera keeps in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

FERMENTED GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Prepare brine by dissolving the salt in water.
• Mix all the ingredients except the brine in a large bowl.
• Add them to the Fermenting Vessel of choice (check description above) packing them down as you go.
• Fill each jar with the brine, leaving 1½ -2 inches of headroom-the space at the top, between the rim of the jar and the top of the vegetables. Weight the vegetables so they are completely submerged in the brine.
• Cover the top of the vessel with a lid, coffee filter, paper towel, cheese cloth, or tea towel to keep bugs out and odors inches.
• Be sure to secure towels with a very tight rubber band or the ring from the canning jars.
• Place the jar out of direct light.
• Ferment at room temperature 4 days before checking the flavor. If you prefer the flavor more sour, continue fermenting.
• If to your taste transfer the jars to the refrigerator.
• Burp the jars once daily (to release any built-up gasses) the giardiniera does continue to ferment while in the refrigerator.
• This doesn`t need to be done in my home because we help ourselves to it daily.

GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, using your hands, mix the vegetables and salt until well combined. Cover the vegetables with water. Cover the bowl and allow the mixture to sit, unrefrigerated, for 8 to 12 hours.
• Drain the vegetables and rinse thoroughly. Sterilize 2 quart-size glass jars, with lids, in the dishwasher or by submerging them in boiling water for 10 minutes.
• In one sterilized jar, combine the garlic and all the herbs and spices; add the vinegar and oil and shake well to emulsify the dressing. Pour half the dressing into the other jar.
• Pack the vegetables into the jars. If vegetables are not completely coated, make and add more dressing. Screw lids onto jars and refrigerate. Allow the mixture to mellow for a couple of days before serving.

GRILLED GIARDINIERA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat a grill for cooking on high heat. Clean and oil the grates with vegetable oil.
• Combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, oregano, peppercorns, garlic and 1 cup water in a small pot. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally, to make sure the sugar and salt are dissolved. Let cool completely.
• Place the rainbow peppers, carrots, serrano peppers and cauliflower steaks directly on the grill (do not grill the celery; keep it raw!). Grill until charred with grill marks, about 5 minutes a side. Set aside to cool on a wire-racked sheet pan. Once cooled, it's time to chop!
• Slice the carrots and celery 1/2-inch-thick on a sharp 45-degree angle bias. Keep the rainbow peppers and serranos whole. Cut the cauliflower florets off the woody stems and trim into individual 1-inch florets.
• Place the chopped veggies into a 1-gallon resealable bag or container. Pour the vinegar mixture directly on the veggies. Stir around and let sit in the fridge at least 3 hours, but ideally overnight.
• Drain the veggies from the brine and place on a paper towel-lined sheet pan. Reserve the brine. Arrange the pickled veggies in groups on a large, long platter, in other words, carrots, then peppers, then celery. Whisk together 3/4 cup of the brine with the olive oil and Dijon in a bowl until combined. Season to taste. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the veggies and top with the ricotta salata, celery leaves and olives. Or serve the veggies directly on freshly grilled Italian sausage or sausages sandwiches and top with ricotta salata, olives and celery tops!

HOT ITALIAN GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Place into a bowl the green and red peppers, jalapenos, celery, carrots, and onion.
• Stir in salt, and fill with enough cold water to cover.
• Place plastic wrap or aluminum foil over the bowl, and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, drain salty water, and rinse vegetables.
• In a bowl, mix together garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and olives.
• Pour in vinegar and olive oil, and mix well.
• Combine with vegetable mixture, cover, and refrigerate for 2 days before using.

CHICKEN GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Pound out chicken breasts, so that they cook quickly and evenly.
• In saute pan, heat oil. Add giardiniera and garlic and saute lightly for 2-3 minutes.
• Push giardiniera and garlic to the side of pan and add chicken.
• Saute 2-3 minute per side, spooning pan juices and giardiniera over them.
• DO NOT salt chicken. I made that mistake once. It was so salty, it became inedible. The giardiniera has plenty of salt on its own.
• Plain, buttered pasta or a baked potato with cool sour cream are good sides for this spicy dish.

DRY-AGED ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICH WITH HOMEMADE GIARDINIERA, SWEET PEPPERS, SUET-FRIED CHIPS AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• For the beef: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the roast liberally with salt and pepper. In a heavy-bottomed roasting pan over high heat, heat the grapeseed oil until shimmering. Add the roast and sear all sides until a golden crust forms, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside on a sheet tray. Add the garlic, onions, dried Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Saute until caramelized. Add the wine and deglaze, scraping the bottom. Add the stock, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, and bring to a simmer. Return the roast to the pan and any accumulated juices from the sheet tray. Roast in the oven, turning every 20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the meat registers 125 degrees F, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. While the roast is cooking, start on the garnishes.
• For the chips: Heat the suet in a pot to 365 degrees. On a mandolin, thinly slice the potatoes and rinse in cold water. Drain and dry thoroughly. Add the potatoes gently to the suet and fry until gold brown. Drain on paper towels and season with the salt, granulated garlic, paprika and sugar.
• For the sweet peppers: Toss the bell peppers, olive oil and granulated garlic together on a sheet tray and season with salt. Roast until slightly soft, but still bright, about 20 minutes.
• For the broccoli rabe: In a saute pan over medium-high heat, render the fatback until crispy. Remove the fatback with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan. Saute until fragrant, and then add the broccoli rabe. Cook until the greens have wilted, the stems are cooked through, but the broccoli rabe has retained its color. Toss with the fatback and season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
• When the roast is done cooking, remove from the oven and let rest under tented foil. Strain the juice from the roasting pan into a saucepot. Bring to a simmer, skim the fat from the top and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Hold warm over low heat.
• To build the sandwiches: Very thinly slice the roast by hand or on a deli slicer. Dredge a roll through the cooking juices and top with 4 to 6 ounces sliced meat. Garnish with the Homemade Giardiniera and the sweet peppers. Serve with the chips and broccoli rabe.
• In a small pot, add the carrots, celery, chiles, cauliflower, garlic, bell peppers and vinegar and cover with water. Season with the salt and bring to a light simmer. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes; the vegetables should still be crisp and bright. Drain and cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Add the oils to the vegetables and store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

VEGETABLES GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Steam cauliflower until just crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Steam broccoli until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Steam carrots until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Rinse with cold water; drain. Mix cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and olives in large bowl. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover vegetables and chill.)
• Place lemon juice in small bowl. Gradually mix in oil. Add tomatoes, oregano and dried red pepper. Pour dressing over vegetables and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon wedges. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature, tossing occasionally.)

MEATBALL HEROES WITH QUICK-PICKLED GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the giardiniera: Combine the vinegar, sugar, fennel seed, red pepper flakes, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the cauliflower and carrots and cook until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bell pepper and celery and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
• In a 1-quart mason jar, combine 1/2 cup of the pickling liquid with the olive oil. Strain the vegetables and spices and transfer to the mason jar. Seal and shake to combine. Set aside at room temperature to continue marinating while you make the heroes.
• For the meatball heroes: Finely dice 1 of the hoagie rolls into 1/4-inch pieces and put in a large bowl. Pour the milk over it and set aside to soak for 5 minutes.
• Add the ground meat, fennel seed, red pepper flakes, oregano, eggs, half of the garlic, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, a three-finger pinch of salt and a healthy crack of black pepper to the soaked bread and, using clean hands, delicately combine. Using wet hands, roll the meat mixture into fifteen 1 1/2-inch rounds (about 1/4 cup each), place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly golden and juicy, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• While the meatballs are baking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the remaining garlic and cook until fragrant but still pale, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Slice the remaining 5 hoagie rolls in half lengthwise down the tops and place on a rimmed baking sheet. If the rolls are very bready, remove some of the insides to create a space for the meatballs to sit. Using a pastry brush or spoon, brush the garlic-butter mixture over the cut sides of the rolls. Bake until the rolls are golden, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the tomato sauce to a large pot over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup water to the jar of sauce, seal the lid, shake and pour into the pot; this will ensure you get every last drop. Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce, bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is warm and the meatballs are cooked through, an additional 5 to 7 minutes.
• Place 3 meatballs inside of each toasted hoagie roll, top with some steamy sauce, shower with the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, top with the giardiniera and parsley and enjoy immediately.

HOT ITALIAN GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• 1.Place into a bowl the green and red peppers, jalapenos, celery, carrots, onion, and cauliflower. Stir in salt, and fill with enough cold water to cover. Place plastic wrap or aluminum foil over the bowl, and refrigerate overnight. 2.The next day, drain salty water, and rinse vegetables. In a bowl, mix together garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and olives. Pour in vinegar and olive oil, and mix well. Combine with vegetable mixture, cover, and refrigerate for 2 days before using.