Escabeche – Mexican Pickled Vegetables

Escabeche – Mexican Pickled Vegetables

A vibrant, tangy jar of classic Mexican pickled vegetables, featuring tender carrot slices, crisp cauliflower florets, and fiery jalapeños bathed in a lightly spiced apple cider vinegar brine. This wholly plant-based escabeche is wonderfully versatile — serve it alongside tacos, rice dishes, or grilled corn, or simply enjoy it straight from the jar as a punchy, low-sodium condiment. The brine is naturally acidic and beautifully aromatic, with whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, and black peppercorns lending depth without a single drop of anything animal-derived.

Ingredients
[ ] 1½ cups carrot slices (cut into ¼-inch rounds)
[ ] 1 small cauliflower head, cut into florets (about 2½ cups)
[ ] 2 jalapeños, sliced into rounds
[ ] 6 cloves garlic, left whole
[ ] 3 bay leaves
[ ] 1½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns
[ ] 1½ tablespoons organic cane sugar
[ ] 2 teaspoons sea salt
[ ] 1½ cups apple cider vinegar
[ ] 3 cups water

Instructions
[ ] 1. Slice the carrots into ¼-inch rounds, cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, slice the jalapeños into rounds, and peel the garlic cloves, leaving them whole. Set everything aside.
Pour 1½ cups apple cider vinegar and 3 cups water into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Add 1½ tablespoons organic cane sugar, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 3 bay leaves, and 1½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns.
Stir gently and bring the brine to a gentle simmer, allowing the sugar and salt to dissolve completely, about 3–4 minutes.
Add the 1½ cups carrot slices and 2½ cups cauliflower florets to the simmering brine. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender but still retain a pleasant crunch. Do not overcook
[ ] 2. they should hold their texture once pickled.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the sliced jalapeños and whole garlic cloves.
Allow the mixture to sit in the hot brine for 5 minutes — the residual heat will gently soften the jalapeños without making them mushy and will mellow the raw edge of the garlic.
Carefully transfer the vegetables and all of the brine — including the bay leaves, peppercorns, and garlic cloves — into one large sterilised glass jar or two smaller ones. Press the vegetables down so they are fully submerged in the liquid.
Leave the jar(s) uncovered at room temperature until completely cool, then seal tightly with a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavours to develop fully. The escabeche will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

https://www.cuisinesavvy.com/recipe/escabeche-mexican-pickled-vegetables