Sweet and Sour Pickled Fennel

One of the things that I love about our trips to Italy is sampling the various items that my husband’s relatives have conserved from their gardens. Finocchi (fennel) in agrodolce (sour-sweet) is one of them! It can be served either as a side dish (contorno) or as a accompaniment to an aperitif. Jars can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. Any jars that didn’t seal should be placed in the refrigerator and consumed within 2 weeks.

Step: 1

Inspect 2 jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water until fennel is ready. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm, soapy water.

Step: 2

Place sliced fennel in a colander and rinse well.

Step: 3

Combine water, vinegar, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the fennel, sugar, olive oil, and chives; stir to combine. Bring back to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.

Step: 4

Remove fennel from the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon and pack into sterilized jars. Fill the jars with the hot cooking liquid, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Wipe the tops of the jars with a clean cloth. Place lids on the jars and tighten.

Step: 5

Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars 2 inches apart into the boiling water using a holder. Pour in more boiling water to cover jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and process for 15 minutes.

Step: 6

Remove the jars from the stockpot with a jar lifter and let rest on a kitchen towel, several inches apart, for 12 to 24 hours. Press the center of each lid with a finger to ensure the lid does not move up or down. Remove the rings for storage and store in a cool, dark area for 1 week before consuming.

Per Serving: 120 calories; protein 0.8g; carbohydrates 8.4g; fat 9.5g; sodium 758.6mg.

One of most obvious way to choose a side dish is to look at your main dish (pasta, chicken, seared tofu) and choose something different. If you’re making pasta, go for a simple healthy dish . Making steak? Go for something light. If you’re making stir-fry with rice, it must not a good idea to also make a rice salad.

This also can apply to cooking method . You don’t want to push more often your oven by scheduling three dishes at once in there, or be rounding four pans on the stovetop . But often you can made a dish do double-duty .