Old Sourdough Hot Mix

Directions

1. Prepare vegetables: Cut cauliflower into florettes, peel and cut carrots into 1-inch lengths, julienne sweet red pepper, peel and quarter onions, trim and string celery and cut into 1-inch lengths.
2. Place vegetables, including jalapeņos and cayenne peppers, in crock or non-reactive coverable container. Cover with brine and soak for 24 hours.
3. Plunge sage, parsley and thyme into boiling water, wait 10 seconds then scoop into iced water. Reserve half for placing in jars, and the other half to simmer with the vegetables.
4. Use colander to thoroughly drain brine from vegetables. Place in non-reactive pot, add peppercorns, mustard seed and the reserved half of the sage, thyme and parsley. Add enough white vinegar to cover.
5. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Place 1 sage leaf, 1 sprig of thyme and parslet in the bottom of each sterilized pint jar. Place vegetables into jars using slotted spoon. Try to put equal amounts of each vegetables in each jar. Top with the cooking liquid allowing 1/2 inch headspace. Make sure some of the peppercorns and mustard seeds are put into each bottle.
7. Seal and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.
8. Store in cool dark place and age three months. Invert bottles every week or so to keep all vegetables covered with the liquid.

The vegetables are crisp and have their own distinctive taste that has been melded with the flavors of the spices and chili peppers. They are snappy with out being too hot. The taste is clean without the oily after taste of some commercial hot mixes.