GIARDINIERA, ALLA

Italian, in the gardener`s style , with assorted fresh or pickled vegetables ..
Preserved vegetables are great to have on hand out of season , and antipasto platters .

Prepare various vegetables such as coloured capsicums , squash , green tomatoes , onions , red chilli , cauliflower ,onions and carrots buy cutting them into slices , wedges or florets .
Using a large bowl mix together all the vegetables along with 1 tsp of yellow mustard seeds , 3 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped , 2 whole sprigs of rosemary , 1 tbs of brown sugar and a pinch 1/2 tsp of rock salt .
Place the vegetables into sterilised jars , packing them in tightly .
Bring 3 cups of white vinegar to the boil .
Now carefully pour the vinegar into the jars .
The boiling vinegar will bring out the maximum flavour in the vegetables .
Put the lids on tightly and place the jars upside down , leave them sit like this for 10 minutes .
This helps the vinegar access all parts of the vegetables .
Then turn the jars right side up and open .
The vinegar will have lowered a little , since it has filled the air pockets that were created when the jars were initially filled .
Fill the jars with more vinegar , filling to the top .
Seal the jars and let sit for 1 month to a year .
The longer you wait the better the flavour .