Mexican-Style Pickled Vegetables

Spicy chiles and sweet carrots make these pickled veggies a magnificent acidic accompaniment to top any taco.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Yields: 1 Quart

Ingredients

• 1  medium red onion, halved through root end, thinly sliced
• 8  fresno chilies, stemmed, thinly sliced into rings
• 2  large carrots, peeled, cut into matchsticks (about 1 Â 1/2 cups)
• 1  tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1  tablespoon allspice berry
• 2  cups distilled white vinegar
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 4  teaspoons kosher salt
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1  lemon, zest removed in wide strips
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2  garlic cloves, lightly crushed

Directions

1. Pack onion, fresno and carrots into a 1-qt. heatproof jar or a nonreactive container. Toast peppercorn and allspice berries in a dry large saucepan over medium heat, tossing constantly, until just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar, sugar, salt and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove from heat and stir in bay leaf, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic. Let cool slightly, then pour brine over onion, fresno and carrots to submerge. Seal jar and chill at least 3 hours before serving. The flavor will mellow as it sits.
2. Do Ahead: Vegetables can be pickled 3 weeks ahead. Keep chilled.