recipe
Pickles

Vegetable Antipasto

Because antipasto is available commercially, many people believe they can preserve their own recipe at home. Most traditional antipasto recipes cannot be home canned safely and successfully. Low acid ingredients—olives, fish, vegetables—in antipasto recipes, even those that come from commercially canned products, require high heat processing for long time periods. The resulting home canned products are unacceptable in both texture and taste.This recipe has been specially formulated to allow for a well-balanced flavour, and varied texture low acid vegetables to be processed safely in a boiling water canner. Do NOT alter ingredients or measures. To create a traditional antipasto—preserve salmon separately in a pressure canner. When ready to serve antipasto, mix a jar of Vegetarian Antipasto with a jar of salmon and add your personal finishing touches -mushrooms, olive oil and/or olives— fresh antipasto each time it’s served!

Ingredients:

  • 1- 1/2 cups (375 ml) coarsely chopped carrots, about 4 medium
  • 2 -1/2 cups (625 ml) green beans cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) pieces, about 400g
  • 2- 1/2 cups (625 ml) cauliflower florets, about 1/2 medium head
  • 2 cups (500 ml) coarsely chopped onion, about 2
  • 2 cups (500 ml) coarsely chopped green pepper, about 2 medium
  • 2 cups (500 ml) coarsely chopped red pepper, about 2 medium
  • 1- 1/2 cups (375 ml) coarsely chopped celery, 3 stalks
  • 2 cups (500 ml) coarsely chopped, zucchini or peeled eggplant
  • 2 cups (500 ml) lightly packed brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) pickling salt
  • 2 cups (500 ml) red wine vinegar
  • 3 cans (each 5 1/2 oz/156 ml) tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup (50 ml) Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp (25 ml) hot pepper sauce
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) dried basil
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) ground mustard

Directions:

  • Place 7 clean 500 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner. Cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Keep jars hot until ready to use.
  • Preheating Bernardin® lids is not advised. The sealing compound used for our home canning lids performs better at room temperature than it does pre-heated in simmering water (180°F). Simply wash lids in hot, soapy water, dry, and set aside until needed. Preheating can lead to less vacuum being achieved during water bath canning, and to buckle failures during pressure canning.
  • Prepare and measure carrots; set aside.
  • Prepare and measure remaining vegetables; set aside. If using, prepare eggplant last due to rapid browning.
  • In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine sugar, salt, vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire and hot pepper sauces and garlic. Stirring frequently, bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Add prepared carrots to wet mixture and let boil 2 minutes. Add remaining vegetables, basil and mustard. Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; boil gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Ladle into a hot jar to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of top of jar (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more antipasto. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining antipasto.
  • When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – 25 minutes.*
  • When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.
  • After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.
PRINTER FRIENDLY RECIPE

Reviews

October 12, 2016

Kim

Kamloops

Made this with my daughter. The worcestershire flavour seems very strong. Will this mellow out as it sits?