Marinated Vegetables

Marinating vegetables is a wonderful way of preserving all the best flavors of summer. The tart, spicy chunks of vegetables make a perfect combo with grilled dishes or a salad.

These vegetables are also good as a fresh, green addition to tapas. As long as the vegetables are completely covered in olive oil, they’ll keep for several months in the refrigerator.

Garlic-Marinated Baby Portabella Mushrooms
• 8¾ oz. (250 g) baby portabella mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 fresh chili pepper
• 6¾ fl. oz. (200 ml) cold-pressed olive oil
• 1½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt flakes
• 5 sprigs thyme

Cut each mushroom into quarters. Place the pieces in a saucepan and cover with cold
water. Add 1½ teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil and let boil for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, put
together the marinade.

Thinly slice the garlic cloves. Cut the chili in half and remove the seeds (or leave the seeds
in if you prefer more spice in the marinade).

Stir the olive oil, vinegar, and remaining salt flakes together in a bowl. Add the sprigs of
thyme (chopped fine), and add in the chili.

Drain the mushrooms in a colander and then add them, still warm, to the marinade. Stir so everything is thoroughly mixed.

Ladle the vegetables into jars, and make sure the olive oil covers them completely. If it
doesn’t, add some more oil. You can use any kind of edible mushroom for this marinade.

Pickled Bell Pepper and Garlic
• 2 red sweet, pointy peppers
• 2 yellow sweet, pointy peppers
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 fresh chili pepper
• 3⅓ fl. oz. (100 ml) water
• 3⅓ fl. oz. (100 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6¾ fl. oz. (200 ml) cold-pressed olive oil infused with lemon

Remove the seeds and cut the peppers into even, one-inch pieces. Cut the garlic cloves in
half length-wise. Cut the chili pepper in half and remove the seeds, or leave the seeds in if
you prefer spicier pickles.

Place the vegetables in a saucepan and pour in the water, vinegar, and salt. Bring it to a
boil, lower the heat, and let it simmer 20 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, and let the bell peppers cool in the liquid overnight.
Place the vegetables in a jar, pressing down firmly on them with a ladle. Pour in ¼ cup (50
ml) of cooking liquid and top to cover with olive oil. Screw the lid on tightly, and shake the
jar to mix contents thoroughly.

It’s important to prevent oxygen from seeping into the jar and destroying the peppers. You
may have to add more oil to cover the vegetables completely.

Marinated Oven-Dried Tomatoes
• 17½ oz. (500 g) cherry tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons salt flakes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or thyme
• about 6¾ fl. oz. (200 ml) cold-pressed olive oil

Cut the tomatoes in half and place them, cut side up, in an ovenproof pan. Slice the garlic
thinly and scatter over the tomatoes.

Sprinkle salt flakes and herbs over the tomatoes and garlic. Oven-dry the contents of the
pan at 170ºF (75ºC) for 6 hours. Put the tomatoes in a jar and cover, while still warm, with olive oil.

Article Source: Low Carb High Fat Barbecue by Birgitta Hoglund