Italian Vegetable Pickles

Why not make some of these beautiful bottled vegetables as Christmas gifts for family and friends. Place on the table as antipasto with your other Christmas fare for this special occasion.
Any vegetables are suitable, but the harder vegetables such as cauliflower and carrot keep longer, and develop a richness of taste after several weeks giving you that full bodied, pickle flavour we know and love with antipasto. The pickles will keep up to 6 months in the fridge.

Ingredients:

Vegetables:
3-5 bottles/ jars with lids (screw top)
Cauliflower Florets
Carrot, sliced
Green/Red Capsicum, diced into large squares

Brown Onion, quartered
Beans, halved
1 Lemon, sliced
6-10 Garlic Cloves
6-10 Bay Leaves

Vinaigrette:

8 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup White Sugar
1.5 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Pickling Spice
2 tablespoons Pepper Mix

Method:
 
Place all vinaigrette ingredients together into a boiler and bring to the boil. Cool to the side.
Boil all bottles/jars and lids in a large boiler for 20 minutes, dry with a clean towel.
Place the raw vegetables into the jars with random selection.
Add 2 lemon slices, garlic and bay leaf to each bottle.
Press down with plastic or silicon spatula.
Pour the vinaigrette into the bottle and cover all vegetables with liquid.
Screw lids on tight - store in cool spot for at least 3 weeks for flavour of the vinaigrette to absorb into the vegetables. 
Refrigerate 

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmailcom