Asparagus Giardiniera
| We usually think of giardiniera as a pickled relish made of large chunks of summer vegetables such as cauliflower and peppers. However, there is no reason to not make it as well in the first harvest of spring, including tiny vegetables thinned from rows. Here we’ve liberally adapted a Greek pickled asparagus recipe presented by Jeff Smith in his 1989 “The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines” to make an addictive condiment ready for a spring antipasti tray. We recommend that you use the tiny, round Parisienne carrots, as they will be the same size as the radish. Note that if you are inundated with large amounts of spring harvest bounty, it is also possible to can this relish using a hot water bath. |
 |
1½ cups white wine vinegar
3 whole allspice berries, crushed
1 tablespoon black pepper corns, crushed
2 whole cloves
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 teaspoon tarragon leaves
1½ teaspoons salt
6 small, round carrots, halved
6 radish, halved
1 pound asparagus
12 green onions, trimmed of roots and leaves
¼ cup green olives
¼ cup black kalamata olives
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thickly sliced
½ cup olive oil
Bring vinegar, allspice, cloves, black pepper, bay, thyme, tarragon, and salt to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve to remove particulates, and reserve.
Bring a quart of water to a boil in a deep pan. Blanch the carrots for 2 minutes, then add in the radish and asparagus. Bring to a simmer and drain, rinsing the vegetables with cold water to stop cooking. Allow to thoroughly drain.
Pack the blanched vegetables, green onions, olives, and garlic slices into a 1 quart glass canning jar. Pour in olive oil, marinade, and top off jar with additional white wine vinegar. Cap, and allow to marinate 2-4 days in the refrigerator.
|
