Marinated Garden Vegetables

Makes: About 8 servings

Time: About 45 minutes

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Since these crunchy, tangy, Italian-American-style vegetables keep for several weeks, I like to store them prominently in my fridge in a big jar. You can serve them on toothpicks; on top of greens or tossed with salads (using the brine, which works perfectly as a dressing); or tossed with cooked pasta, whole grains, or beans for a quick, hearty salad.

• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 sprigs fresh or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• ¾ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 zucchini or summer squash, trimmed and sliced crosswise
• 2 carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick slices or sticks
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
• 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
• ½ cup green or black olives, pitted if you like
• Pepper

1. Put the vinegar, salt, oregano, bay leaves, garlic, olive oil, and 4 cups water in a large nonreactive pot and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cauliflower and cook for a minute. Add the zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, onion, and olives, cover, and turn off the heat.
2. Let cool to room temperature in the pot. Serve at room temperature or chilled, drizzled with some of the brine and some olive oil and sprinkled with lots of pepper. Store the mixture in its brine in a covered plastic or glass container in the refrigerator for a month or more.

Marinated Winter Squash Substitute a 3-pound (or so) winter squash like butternut, pumpkin, Hubbard, or kabocha for the broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, and olives. Trim, peel, and seed the squash and cut into 1-inch cubes. Make the brine as directed and bring to a boil. Add the squash to the brine along with the onion in Step 1.

Marinated Artichokes Fantastic in salads, sandwiches, and on pizza: Substitute 12 or more cleaned raw artichoke hearts or baby artichokes (see page 165) for the broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, and olives. Make the brine as directed and bring to a boil. Add the artichokes to the boiling brine in Step 1 and cook for about 10 minutes, then cover and turn off the heat. Proceed with Step 2.