So, now that Emeril has teamed up with Martha, I feel it necessary to tell y’all just how much I love using her cookbooks and reading Martha Stewart Living. Her cooking expertise has been a guide for me throughout my entire career, and when I am stuck on a way to make a recipe just right, it is not uncommon for me to reference her version for a point in the right direction.

With that, I’d like to share one of her recipes for a pickled vegetable salad, called “Vegetables Escabeche,” that I have used time and time again. It is a perfect side dish for a barbeque (the acid in the pickling liquid ease the bite of spicy sauces); of course, it’s delicious; but best of all, it’s easy (just a bit of knife work, really)! However, your guests will think you slaved away and are headed down the path of culinary enlightenment…

Here’s my abbreviated version of the recipe from Martha Stewart’s Hors D’eouvres Handbook:

VEGETABLES ESCABECHE ~ serves 24-48

1 head califlower – clean and trim into florets
20 baby carrots – cut in half lengthwise
8 medium jalapenos – cut in half
2 medium red bell peppers
2 medium yellow bell peppers
2 medium green bell peppers – cut all the bell peppers into 1” thick strips
1 small fennel bulb – trim leaves and stem, and cut into 1” thick wedges
4 celery stalks – slice lengthwise and cut into 4” sticks
4 ounces string beans – remove stems
1 large red onion – cut into 1/2” thick rounds
6 cups white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
6 cups water

• Combine vinegar, sugar, salt and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Transfer all chopped veggies to a large heat-proof bowl that is also large enough to hold the hot liquid (or divide the mixed veggies evenly amongst a few containers).
• Pour the hot liquid over the veggies and gently stir.
• Cover the entire mixture with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Serve the veggies at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to two days., returning them to room temperature before serving.

Filed Under: Food Talk