Basil Jardinere

(These layered pickles look beautiful in the jars and they taste just as wonderful. Choose your vegetables with an eye to color and take time to pack the jar carefully. This makes an excellent gift) In a non-aluminum saucepan, combine the vinegar, water and pickling salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the 2 tbls basil leaves. Cover and let the mixture steep overnight. To pack the jars, uniformly slice the vegetables. Cauliflower should be broken into florets. Green beans should be trimmed to be about 3 inches long; all the ends should be cut at the same angle. Carrots should be sliced on the diagonal. Small green tomatoes, white boiling onions, and okra can be left whole. Cut peppers in 1/2" strips. Place 1 sprig of fresh basil in the bottom of each quart jar. Carefully pack the vegetables in layers. Plan to have 5-6 layers of vegetables. An attractive arrangement begins with carrots, followed by green beans, cauliflower, red pepper, green beans, and carrots. A chopstick will help you arrange and hold the vegetables in their proper positions as you pack. Try to keep the most attractive part of the vegetable facing out -- the florets of the cauliflower, the skins of the peppers. Leave about 1/2" head space. Reheat the vinegar mixture almost to boiling; do not boil. Pour over the vegetables, leaving 1/2" head space. Seal. Process in a boiling water bath or steam canner for 10 minutes. Adjust seals if necessary. Let cool undisturbed for 12 hours. Store in a cool, dry place. Do not open for at least 6 weeks to allow flavors to develop.