Giardiniera Calabrese
A vibrant Calabrian antipasto of crisp garden vegetables lightly simmered in vinegar, then dressed in extra virgin olive oil, garlic, oregano, and spicy chilli.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 190 kcal
Equipment
- •Chef's knife
- •Large stainless steel saucepan
- •Colander
- •Clean kitchen towels
- •Glass storage jar
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- fat
- 17 g
- carbs
- 8 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 2 g
- calories
- 190 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Cut all the vegetables into uniform, bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- 2
Pour the white wine vinegar, water, fine sea salt, and sugar into a large stainless steel saucepan.
- 3
Bring the brine to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve completely.
- 4
Add the carrots, celery, and cauliflower florets to the boiling brine.
- 5
Simmer the firmer vegetables for 3 minutes until slightly tender but still noticeably crisp.
- 6
Add the sliced bell peppers and fennel to the pan and simmer for 2 further minutes.
- 7
Drain all the vegetables thoroughly through a colander to remove the excess cooking brine.
- 8
Spread the drained vegetables across clean, dry kitchen towels and leave them for 30 minutes to cool and dry thoroughly.
- 9
Transfer the completely dry vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
- 10
Add the sliced garlic, dried oregano, and crushed Calabrian chilli flakes.
- 11
Pour the extra virgin olive oil over the vegetables and toss thoroughly to coat every piece evenly.
- 12
Spoon the dressed vegetables into clean jars, cover tightly, and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
Chef's tips
Drying the vegetables thoroughly on clean towels after boiling is crucial; any lingering water will dilute the olive oil dressing and spoil the texture. Keep the blanching time brief so the vegetables retain an assertive crunch. For the best flavour, let the dressed giardiniera marinate overnight in the fridge before serving.
Ingredient substitutions
- peperoncino calabrese (dried Calabrian chilli flakes) → standard crushed red pepper flakes or two fresh bird's eye chillies, finely chopped
- fennel bulb → trimmed green beans cut into short batons
Storage
Store in a clean, airtight glass jar submerged under the oil in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Reheating
Do not reheat; remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before eating to bring the olive oil to room temperature.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overboiling the vegetables, which turns them mushy rather than pleasantly crunchy.
- •Dressing the vegetables while still wet, preventing the olive oil from adhering properly.
- •Using non-acid-safe aluminium pans, which react poorly with hot vinegar.
Serving suggestions
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