Master Recipe For Pickled Vegetables

Steps:

• Place cauliflower, onions, cucumbers and peppers in a large bowl. In another large bowl, mix ice water and salt; pour over vegetables. Let stand 4 hours., Rinse vegetables and drain well. In a Dutch oven, bring sugar, vinegar, celery seed, turmeric and cloves to a boil. Add drained vegetable mixture; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are heated through, 5 minutes., Pack hot vegetables and liquid into six hot 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot liquid. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Steps:

• Mix ingredients and additional flavorings (if appropriate) together in medium non-reactive saucepan; bring to simmer. Pour over 1 - 1 1/2 pound of vegetables held in a large non-reactive bowl. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight before serving.

Steps:

• Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or line it with a clean towel. (This is to prevent the jars from directly touching the surface.) Set aside.
• Meanwhile, sterilize the jars and lids. To sterilize jars using a boiling water canner or a large pot, place a rack (or often I will use a clean kitchen towel) on the bottom of the canner. Place the jars right-side-up on the rack and fill the jars and canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil, then boil for 10 minutes (at altitudes less than 1,000 feet elevation). Using canning tongs, remove the jars from the canner one at a time, carefully pouring the water from the jars back into the canner. Let the jars air-dry upside-down on the prepared rack or towel and sit undisturbed until you're ready to fill them. The rings and rubber-lined lids must be sterilized, too. Place the new lids in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a gentle simmer. Very gently simmer for 10 minutes (taking care not to boil). Turn off the heat and keep the lids in the water until ready to use.
• Bring 2 1/2 cups water, the vinegar and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, place 1 dill sprig or 1 teaspoon dill seed, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns in the bottom of each of 4 sterilized glass jars with tight lids. Divide the red pepper flakes among the jars. Set aside.
• Wash and trim the stem end of the beans so that they fit in the jar. (I like to leave the pretty curled end intact.) Pack the beans into the prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Carefully pour the boiling pickling liquid over the green beans in the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom between the top of the liquid and the top of the jar. Seal with the lids and rings. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.