Sottoaceti
S
aturday was such a dreary, gray day, it seemed—to me anyway—the perfect time to spend a long afternoon in the kitchen. And I could think of no better kitchen occupation than putting up several jars of Sottoaceti, pickled vegetables (literally, "under vinegar"). What follows, is my slightly edited recipe and narrative as it appeared in 1995, on my original website, northend.com.I confess it; I've been a dismal failure at creating Italian pickled vegetables for more years than I care to discuss. Of course, I sought advice from the experts. Pop [my grandfather], who no longer made sottoaceti at the time, told me to put an egg in the bottom of a crock, then fill the crock with water and start adding salt. When the egg floated to the surface, the brine was ready. My friend Joe Pace [Joe Pace & Sons, Italian Grocers, Boston, MA.] told me to use some vinegar and a little water, and maybe some garlic. My friend Lilly, one of the clerks at Joe Pace’s, told me to use two parts vinegar to one part water, and this much salt, as she made a vague gesture with her fist.
Well, I'm pleased to report that I've broken the code. I've finally arrived at a pickling brine that doesn't cause me to gasp from the vinegar, or to race for a glass of water because of the salt. I've derived my formula by taking bits and snatches of recipes by Paul Bertolli, Giuliano Buggiali, and Jasper White, and come up with a combination that is, to my taste, the ideal Sottoaceti or Giardinera, as it's called here in America.
Sottoaceti is the quintessential focal point of the traditional Southern Italian antipasto, as well as being a great snack food in its own right. The classic combination of vegetables for Sottoaceti is a mixture of cauliflower, carrots, celery, peppers, and onions. But if you use nothing more than peppers, this recipe will result in a North End [of Boston] favorite, "vinegar peppers," often served with pan seared pork chops and roasted potatoes.
While the recipe that follows works well for my taste, consider it no more than a jumping-off point. Use more salt if you feel it needs it; more sugar; try different vegetables, like green beans, cucumbers or radishes, it's cooks choice. But no matter what, I think that once you've tried this, you'll leave the bottled Giardinera on the shelf the next time you pass through the Italian food section at the supermarket.
Sottoaceti
Pickled Vegetables
Ingredients:
1 Head cauliflower, cored and broken into florets
4 Medium carrots, peeled, and sliced into rounds
1 Medium bunch of Celery, washed, and sliced
24 Cipolline or pearl onions, peeled (see Note)
12 Cloves garlic, peeled
3 - 4 Cups water
2 - 3 Tbs. Salt
½ - 1 Tbs. Sugar
2 Tbs. Pickling spices
3 - 4 Cups white vinegar
Preparation:
Prepare the vegetables, and place them in a ceramic or glass container large enough to hold them and the added liquid.
Bring 4 Cups of water to the boil, then add the salt, sugar and pickling spices. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar, then remove from the heat and pour three cups of the solution over the vegetables, reserving the last cup.
Allow the mixture to steep for about five minutes to blanch the vegetables slightly, then add three cups of the vinegar. If the resulting brine doesn't cover the vegetables completely, add equal parts of water and vinegar to cover.
When the vegetables have cooled, cover the container, and refrigerate. The Sottoaceti is ready to eat after four to five days. If you care to, divide the vegetables and brine among several canning jars and refrigerate. Sottoaceti will keep for at least a month, refrigerated.
To Serve:
Use the Sottoaceti as a component of a traditional antipasto platter, or serve as an accompaniment to grilled pork chops.
Note: To peel the onions, blanch them for approximately two minutes in boiling water, then immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water. The skins will peel off easily.
Labels: Pickled Vegetables, Sottoaceti
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