Giardiniera, Crunchy Pickled Vegetables, Satisfy in the Cold Brendan Smialowski for The New York Times RESOLUTIONS to eat more vegetables may wilt in the cold of January, when heartier foods beckon and Greenmarket offerings dwindle. But don't give up: quick winter pickles can satisfy the desire for crunch and put a new, fresh taste on your plate. Year round, Chicagoans embrace giardiniera, a satisfying mix of cauliflower, carrots and peppers that are brined, then marinated in a zesty dressing. Giardiniera (pronounced jar-deen-YAIR-uh and Italian for "from the garden") is piled on pizza, hot dogs and even stirred into tuna salad. At Al's Beef, serving what many call the city's best hot Italian beef sandwich, the classic dish would be considered incomplete without minced, pickled vegetables stirred into the long-cooked, sliced beef. In the Northeast, giardiniera is served more as an antipasto or snack. Making the pickles is a tradition in many Italian-American households, but it does not require the work you might expect of a long-handed-down custom. This is preserving with no lids to seal and no fear of poisoning your family; it takes only an hour or so of preparation and two or three days of waiting, and keeps in the refrigerator for weeks. In many ways, what follows is more technique than recipe, with flexibility to suit your mood or tastes. If you love carrots, add more. Or introduce zucchini, eggplant, onions or green beans. If you want it extra-spicy, add more serranos, red pepper flakes or even a tiny Thai chile. Chop the vegetables uniformly so that the brine will work its magic evenly: mincing makes a great relish for a hot dog, while larger dice are better for a side dish. The vegetables brine in salty water overnight, or between breakfast and coming home from work. Yes, it's been a long day, so go ahead, pour a glass of wine, then rinse the vegetables, shake up the vinaigrette and pack the jars. After a couple of days, taste the pickle; you just may be hooked.