Pickled vegetables are great to have in the fridge as a go-with-everything condiment; try them on sandwiches or burgers, in place of olives at a cocktail party, or alongside Falafel with Tahini Sauce (page 29). A quick brine made of rice vinegar, sugar, and water gives your favorite crisp vegetables a sweet-and-sour flavor. They’ll keep for up to three months in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and the recipe can easily be doubled if you want to prepare a bigger batch. The vegetables in the recipe below are my favorites, but feel free to mix it up by adding others such as raw baby corn, zucchini, or beets. One batch of brine will be enough for any one of the suggested vegetables, below.

Ingredients

　　2 cups unseasoned rice vinegar

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　2 bay leaves

　　1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Suggested Vegetables

　　6 radishes, sliced

　　4 kirby cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch slices

　　1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets

　　2 rhubarb stalks, sliced

　　2 carrots, sliced

　　Combine the vinegar, 1 cup water, the sugar, bay leaves, and mustard seeds in a medium nonreactive pot. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Put the vegetables in a heatproof nonreactive container, pour the hot liquid on top, and toss to coat evenly; the vegetables should be completely submerged in the liquid. Cover and cool to room temperature. Chill before serving. The pickled vegetables keep for months stored covered in the refrigerator. Be sure to keep them completely submerged in the liquid.

　　Michael's Genuine Food