Quick Pickled Vegetables

Ingredients

8 servings

1cucumber
8 cupassorted cut vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower florets, green beans, wax beans, and small pods of okra
1red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 largeclove garlic, cut into slivers
1 tspmustard seeds
1 tspcoriander seeds
1 tspwhite peppercorns
1sprig dill or dill flowers
4birds-eye peppers or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 cupdistilled white vinegar
2 cupsugar
3/4 cupkosher salt

1

Remove alternating strips of peel from cucumbers. Cut into 1/4 inch slices, set aside.
2

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Make an ice water bath by filling a large bowl halfway with ice and water. Set aside. Place 8 cups assoeted vegetables in boiling water, let cook until they are vibrant in color but still firm, 1-2 minutes. Drain vegetables well in a colander, and then set colander with vegetables in the ice water bath (to set the color and stop the cooking process), making sure the vegetables are submerged. Drain well. Set aside.
3

Place half of red onion, garlic, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in the bottom of a large sealable bowl or jar. Transfer blanched vegetables to the jar, layering to alternate the color and texture. Layer in remaining half of onion, cucumber, dill and peppers.
4

In a large saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar and salt over medium high heat. Cook until mixture comes to just under a boil. Pour mixture directly over vegetables and spices. (Depending on size of container and size of vegetables, you may not use all of vinegar mixture.) Let cool to room temperature. Cover or seal, and store in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally, for at least 48 hours and up to 1 month.