Giardiniera

For the Fiat 500 based "Giardiniera" station wagon, see Autobianchi Bianchina.
A dish of giardiniera.


Giardiniera is an Italian or Italian-American relish of pickled vegetables in vinegar or oil.[1]

Varieties and uses

Italian giardiniera is also called "sotto aceti", which means "under vinegar", a common term for pickled foods. It is typically eaten as an antipasto or with salads.[2]

In the United States, giardiniera is commonly available in traditional or spicy varieties, and the latter is sometimes referred to as "Hot Mix."

In the Midwest region of the U.S., giardiniera is used as a condiment, typically as a topping on Italian beef sandwiches.[3]

A milder variety of giardiniera is used for the olive salad in the Muffuletta sandwich.

Ingredients

The Italian version includes onions, celery, zucchini, carrots, and cauliflower. The pickled vegetables are in red- or white-wine vinegar.

American giardiniera is commonly made with serrano peppers along with a combination of assorted vegetables, including bell peppers, olives, celery, pimentos, carrots, and cauliflower, and sometimes crushed red pepper flakes, all marinated in vegetable oil, olive oil, soybean oil, or any combination of the three. It is also common to see it pickled in vinegar.

References

  1. ^ Miller, Robin (November 2007). Quick Fix Meals: 200 Simple, Delicious Recipes to Make Mealtime Easy. Newtown, CT: Taunton Press. p. 231. ISBN 978-1-56158-947-0. 
  2. ^ Lombardi, Skip (2004). La Cucina dei Poveri. p. 8. ISBN 1-4116-1141-1. 
  3. ^ Chicagopedia, Chicago Sun-Times, giardiniera, January 5, 2009: http://www.suntimes.com/chicago/chicagopedia/1361833,CST-NWS-pedia05.article