Quick Winter Pickled Veggies

Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 8 cups assorted cut vegetables

Preparation

1. 1. Bring first 8 ingredients and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a large nonaluminum saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved; boil 1 minute. Let stand 30 minutes.
2. 2. Meanwhile, cook vegetables, in batches, in boiling water to cover 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.
3. 3. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl or 2 1/2-qt. container. Pour vinegar mixture over vegetables. Let stand 1 hour. Cover and chill 1 day before serving. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.
4. Perfect for Pickling: cauliflower florets, Swiss chard stalks, carrot sticks, sliced parsnips, halved Brussels sprouts, radishes, sliced fennel, green beans, bell pepper rings.