DIY Pickled Vegetables

I have been just crazy about these pickled vegetables. I was making a Latin-themed dinner, with carnitas tacos, rice and beans, and my husband's favorite; crispy corn tortilla shells dusted with Parmesan cheese. I was looking at the carrots and jalapenos that I had picked from the garden, and I was thinking about one of my favorite condiments at Mexican food restaurants; pickled cabbage. I love the stuff. I eat it like its a side dish, and everybody else just passes it over to me because none of them care for it that much. I quickly looked up a recipe for pickling vegetables, and got to work. These are just amazing, and I have been putting them on everything, and I just can't get enough-they are spicy and sweet, with the perfect amount of acid. Try it. You will be an addict.

DIY Pickled Vegetables

For the pickling liquid/brine:
1 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

3 whole cloves garlic
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup  carrots, peeled and cut into pieces no larger than 1/2-inch in diameter
2 jalapenos, sliced lengthwise and seeded

 

Bring pickling-liquid ingredients to a boil in a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. 

Meanwhile, pack garlic, cabbage, carrots, and jalapenos into a 2-quart canning jar. Pour hot liquid into jar. Allow to cool to room temperature, then store in the fridge, or process for longer keeping.