Mark said it was because our vegetables were picked at the peak of ripeness, Claudia said it was because even fussy kids loved to eat it, while Bianca said they just hadn’t tasted anything as good since Nonna had made it! Whatever the reason, last season we completely sold out of our limited batch of Giardiniera.
Nothing beats the superb flavour of Back 2 Basics Traditions premium quality Giardiniera – and we have just made another limited batch for you to enjoy before it sells out again.
Giardiniera (pronounced jar-dih-nair-ah) is a classic Italian preserve which translates roughly to “from the garden”. This pickling process is a centuries old technique – with some suggesting its origin dates back to ancient Egypt – for preserving the abundance of in-season foods. Without modern refrigeration, such preserving methods were relied upon to store foods throughout the year and to avoid seasonal food scarcity.
So, what is the recipe I am sure you are asking? Well there is no single recipe for Giardiniera. Different regions and cultures having slightly different pickling techniques and ingredients. However, all have the common use of preserving the abundance of peak season vegetables.
The southern Italian recipe for Giardiniera is a mixture of vegetables that have been pickled in salt and vinegar and then sealed in jars with a layer of olive oil. Many commercial Giardiniera producers will commonly uses a brine solution with added sugar due to the high cost of following the traditional method. This however compromises the true flavour and quality of Giardiniera – nothing compares to the real thing!
Vegetables including carrot, eggplant and capsicum are most common, but cauliflower, celery, onions, asparagus and green tomatoes are also used. Some recipes add additional garnishes like garlic, oregano or hot chillies – we are also very fond of preserved green tomatoes with hot chillies!
We produce 2 different variations of Back 2 Basics Traditions Giardiniera – a classic mixed vegetable (a medley of eggplant, capsicum and carrot) and an eggplant only mix. Both are made from vegetables that are harvested from local family farms at peak ripeness. We also pickup directly from the growers and process within 24 hours to ensure the vegetables retain their full flavour and freshness.
Our Giardiniera is extremely versatile and is delicious as part of an antipasto plate, salad or to add flavour to a wide variety of foods such as bruschetta, Italian sausage, muffaletta sandwiches or Riso con Giardiniera just to name a few! It also adds colour, texture and visual appeal to your cooking and is often enjoyed as a nutritious between-meal snack or with scrambled eggs. It is also especially useful if you have fussy family members who you just can’t get to eat vegetables…
You can find commercial jars of Giardiniera on any supermarket or deli shelf, but nothing compares to Back 2 Basics Traditions Giardiniera which is made with fresh in-season vegetables following traditional methods – vegan, gluten free and with no artificial additives.
If you have never tried Giardiniera, or you already love it, then click here and order yourself a jar before it sells out again – otherwise you are going to wait another whole year!
Summer is for Giardiniera.
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