My first attempt at giardiniera was so bad I couldn't even talk about it, let alone write about it. It was oily, bland, and just plain unappetizing. It was supposed to go with my Italian beef post, but I just dumped the containers in the trash and bought a jar from the store. To my surprise I kind of fell in love with the jar. It started appearing on all kinds of dishes, whether they were necessarily Italian-American or not. Its pickled punch accentuated other foods, instead of covering them all up.
When that jar quickly ran out, I decided to give this very Chicagoan condiment a second chance. Perhaps there were was a recipe out there that could actually work. Part of the problem is that giardiniera is kind of a generic Italian term for "woman gardener" and in its home country you can find any kind of vegetable in it. It's fine stuff, but it's not Chicago giardiniera, which is a little more fiery and a little less wholesome. The latter is what I wanted. I didn't want a nice antipasto, I wanted something crass for dressing an Italian beef.
Most of the recipes online are found on generic websites and just have a bunch of cut up vegetables mixed with olive oil, which I already knew was completely wrong. There needed to be some kind of acidic kick, something to balance the aggressive heat and the fair amount of oil.
My only issue with the recipe was that it might have been a little too nice. I knew that most of the giardiniera used in Italian beef stands didn't use olive oil or apple cider vinegar. They would never spring for such luxury ingredients! So I made two versions, one substituting those ingredients for the cheaper and more neutral Canola oil and white vinegar.
Good thing, too.
The olive oil and cider vinegar version was too distracting. I preferred the clean sharp version of the white vinegar and Canola oil, probably the first time I've ever said that about a food. It's a better condiment. Next time I'll probably make it spicier and use more celery, and take out some of the red bell pepper. I'm also wondering if I could just throw some already pickled serranos into the mix. But that's for next time. For now I have jars of vegetables that I've been tossing on everything I can find. Eggs, bread, pasta...it could go on.
- 6 serranos thinly sliced
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1/2 head cauliflower, stems removed and florets chopped
- 1/2 cup salt
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
- black pepper
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup Canola oil
Dump the serranos, red bell peppers, celery, carrot, and cauliflower into a large bowl. Sprinkle on the salt and mix until well combined.
Pour in the enough water to cover the vegetables. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
Drain the water and then rinse the vegetables under cold water to remove some of the excess salt.
In a small bowl combine the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, celery seeds and a pinch of black pepper.
Add the vinegar to the bowl and stir until combined. Then slowly whisk in the oil.
Dump the vegetables into some jars and top with the oil and vinegar mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 48 hours. They will last for at least 2-3 weeks.
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow! This looks good..
I only found this site the other day but as a passionate foodie with a growing desire for home-experimentation… I feel at home already. Keep up the good work guys.
Cameron: Thanks for the encouragement! Enjoy the look around the site.
We're from Chicago, this is my Dad's all-time favorite…and I can't wait to make it from scratch for him. Thank you!
i love giardiniera! especially the really spicy kind. i never thought to make my own though but now seeing your post i feel motivated to. tuna sandwich with giardiniera is sooo good.
I think giardiniera is the best condiment to ever exist. That, and buffalo sauce. Great idea to make your own!
Wow I just found you as Rachelle Ray had giardiniera in her Muffaletta Panni so I though I’d scout the internet and fell onto your recipe! So I’ll try it as I love to make homemade jams, relish etc.
Thanks
Diane
Jacksonville Florida
thank you, thank you, this recipe rocks – I’m on my third batch and I love it! One question, I thought about canning this but am discouraged by so many posts about canning with oil (and I don’t want to cook the vegetables, I like the crunch of this recipe). I’ve read of some people freezing this kind of thing, any thoughts? So far I’m eating it as fast as I make it but I suppose – in another space time continuum perhaps – it’s theoretically possible I won’t always do that… Any tips about storing this type of recipe would be greatly appreciated,
cheers and thank you,
Alex Fortney
I like to make this too, but can’t eat it fast enough and I want to share. I know that the food companies who sell this product do can it. How can I can it without losing the crunch? Any suggestions?
Yes, I would love to can it and will probably try a test batch 2 or 3 small jars! Could you add the oil after opening the canned jars??? Also, coming from an Italian family I replaced the serranos with hot banana peppers and it was GREAT!
ok…not to pick nits, but the serranos in the picture resemble jalapenos, I could be wrong. I am making a giardiniera recipe, at this moment, from allrecipes.com. This for an Italian Beef sandwich my boss wants for our new location. After I finish this recipe, I will attempt this one.
Thanks for everyones work and mad skills
frank
ok…I need some help. my boss says that Rosati’s giardiniera does not have cauliflower , celery, or olives. does anyone have an ‘official’ Rosati giardiniera recipe?
I made this recipe and it’s great, but it seems after a day the oil started congealing on the vegetables, is there any way to prevent this?
I had the same thing happen as Dan. After a day the oil congealed. So questions:
1) Is there a way to fix what I already did as the veggies still taste good?
2) How do I make sure it doesn’t happen again?
In response to the last comment about the oil cogealing, try using canola or soy (Most “vegetable oil” is soy – read the label). I made a similar recipe, and had no problems with the oil congealing when I used canola.
I am going to try using fennel in this recipe and see how it works out, I’m been told its quite traditional to use it in this sort of anti-pasta. Will report back.
the oil cogealing should’nt be a big deal. Take it out of fridge a good half hour befor use and it should return to normal.
also, you should all try grapeseed oil. It is the same subtile flavors as vegitable and shouldn’t cogeal. Olive oil will definitley cogeal.
Hi
I’ve been making giardiniera for years, more or less like this recipe. I have added any vegetables I had from the garden (hense the nane giardiniera) and I top the jars up with just vinegar after draining them from the brine. I then put a layer of oil on the top to help preserve them. They keep like this for literally years. When you are ready to use them, drain the jar and add the vinegar and oil dressing. Then store that jar in the fridge until it’s finished, and start again with another jar. The vinegar keeps any organisms at bay the oil makes a seal on the top. I’ve also at different times added small pickling onions or slices of normal brown onion, zucchini, cucumber (seeds removed) olives and believe it or not broccoli! thanks for the great combination of vegetables and condiment you use here…it’s delicious!
Is hot giardinera solely a Chicago thing?
On a recent visit to The Strip, Pittsburgh’s foodie heaven of funky stores, markets, and restaurants, including the legendary Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, home of all things Italian, I discovered NO ONE had ever even heard of hot giardinera let alone stock it. And, we hit every market and stall on The Strip.
I’m still not sure what to make of this.
MikeLM:
It’s definitely found it’s home in Chicago. I didn’t even know the stuff existed before I moved here. Yet, it’s not just a peculiar food that some people like. It is everywhere. I just visited a Middle Eastern grocery store over the weekend on the south side and they even stocked giardiniera.
I’ve been smoking a lot of meat and want to do something special with a pulled pork sandwich besides put some of my home made barbeque sauce on it. I saw the Al’s vs Mr. Beef on the travel channel and I bet this sauc e would taste great on some delicious smoked pork! Can’t wait to make some! The pork is almost to good to drowned in barbeque I bet this wilk taste great.
Dear Jeff Barth,
WTF is wrong with you?!?!?! sitting here at midnight about to go to bed and you conjure up such a vision? you want me to short out my keyboard with drool?? is that it? they ask me why I drink!!
its funny i love giardeniera…but im from new jersey..transplanted to denver. I have never had it in a jar until i moved here, of course imported from chicago..lol. i grew up getting it like a fresh salad at the deli counters back home. i like it both ways and will definitely be making it myself from now on, because i have to pay like $8 for a little jar.
as for the oil question….there are different healing and cooling points for oils depending on their chemical makeup and the temparture in which they become stable at…hence olive oil becomes a solid in the fridge..canola will not, i also love safflower oil you can give that one a try if you want a healthier more organic version. or you blend a few different tasty oils and see how that works out. I may add a dab of avocado oil when I try making this.
just do NOT use soybean oil!!!!!! lots of of the larger manufacturers use it because its cheap. soy is also LOADED with phytoestrogens. google soy and estrogen. unless its fremented like in miso soup. “avoid soy” is a good mantra. sadly, you will find soybean oil or soy lecithin or soy protein in so many products its frightening. one of the things, along with BPA in plastic that causes estrogen dominance. thats why, like in the photos in this killer article, I use glass for everything.
Tonight I became determined to build a Mufaletta sandwich and this was one part of the topping I needed a recipe for. After much searching, I found your recipe and it is just what the sandwich doctor ordered. Thanks for sharing!
Looks Delicious!! Thank you for sharing:)
I want to be able to preserve giadiniera for longer use keeping out the frig.What kinde of preserving process is necessary.
I’ve made three batches of this and it is fabulous. I leave out the bell pepper and add more cauliflower because that’s how my favorite Italian beef place does it. I also add chopped green olives after pickling the veggies. Thanks for the inspiration!
I have just made my second batch of this. Everyone loves it. I have so many red serrano, jalapeno and banana peppers I had to do something with them. I only used the peppers, celery and carrots in my batches and it is still fabulous. I actually think it will last longer than 2 weeks but I know we have to be careful. The garlic is the culprit, that is why I do not add it. But all in all a great recipe.
Pamela,
what do you mean by that? why do you have to be careful? cuz everyone chows it down too quickly? the garlic is the culprit? how so, does it go bad? I’m about to attempt a batch and want to be well armed before I do. Thanks! if you feel so inclined, you can email me at ra6868@hotmail.com as well – I would not be sad if I had someone to ask advice from once or twice. I can’t wait to have a batch – it makes eating a healthy diet so much easier too – goes great with scrambled eggs and, as someone else pointed out, canned tuna/salmon. Its fantastic on baked fish (which can be a bit bland depending on kind). Even just chopping up some raw veggies and mixing some in to make a tasty salad that needs no dressing. It makes all those things more palatable. Anyway, thanks in advance! : )
Alex