Chicago Style Giardiniera

Chicago what can I say and who would have thought a foodie like me would find out that Chicago Giardiniera is way more lively than California Giardiniera. Let me break this down for you. The Giardiniera that is here in California is bottled with large cauliflower, carrots and some red bell pepper in a pickle like brine. This is used for antipasto salad. But the Chicago Giardiniera is zesty, spicy chunks of bite size love. I do have a recipe for a Giardiniera Relish that has a nice bite but his recipe is over the top. Let's get started. This is a two day project so make time. A weekend perhaps. 

Ingredients for Day One

• 2 pounds of serrano peppers, rinsed and slices into thin circles. (Wear gloves)
• 1 pound of red peppers chopped small
• 1 pound of cauliflower, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 pound of carrots peeled and chopped small
• 1 cup of Kosher salt

Put all of these ingredients into a stainless steel or glass bowl. Toss them with the salt and let them sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours or overnight. The salt will remove some of the liquid. This will intensify the flavor.

Day Two

Have your jars and water bath prepared. I use 16 ounce wide mouth jars. This recipe will make about 7 to 8 jars. Take the pepper mixture from the refrigerator and drain the liqud and rinse well. Get rid of the liquid you do not need it.

Ingredients for Round Two

• 12 ounce jar of pimento stuffed green olives, chopped random. Reserve the liquid
• 1 cup of olive liquid from the jar
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
• 3 tablespoons dried oregano
• 5 cups of white wine vinegar
• 3 cups of grapeseed oil

Combine everything from the day before and today.

Have your jars ready to fill. 

Fill while packing them down to get rid of extra air space. 

You can add liquid as soon as they are filled and packed down.

I have a wood spoon Pa cut the end off for this purpose. How great is that. I use it for so much. Once the jars are full press the mix down and add the extra liquid until it is about 1/2" from the top of the jar. 

Unlike so many of the recipes we make this one has oil which makes it a bit more work to wipe and clean. Once your jars are full wipe the rim and outer twist area of the jar with a warm cloth or sponge. 

I apply just a tad bit of soap to the cloth to grab the oil residue, then I wipe again with a dry cloth to make sure there is no residue left. With this you will have a bit of the oil on the jars as well as in your water bath once done. Not an issue when the jars have cooled I wash them under with warm water and soap. Once sealed they are fine. I noticed this was not mentioned in any other website but I am a bit annal. Now pop on the lid and the twist and tighten until taunt.

 Put them into your water bath and boil for 20 minutes. The time starts once the water comes to a boil. 

Disclaimer: This is not an all inclusive recipe for making jam. You should have a basic knowledge and understanding of the canning process before proceeding. Please consult your local Center for Home Preservation for additional information and available classes.