Escabeche guatemalteco

Step 1: Wash a 2 litre jar (or two 1 litre jars) and lids in hot soapy water, rinse, and dry in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes. Let them cool.

Step 2: Cut the 10 ½ oz cauliflower into small florets, top the 7 oz green beans and cut them into 4 cm lengths, and peel the 10 ½ oz carrots and slice them 5 mm thick on the diagonal. Slice the 1 white onion into thick rings, cut the 4 jalapeños into rings and peel the 4 garlic cloves.

Step 3: Bring the 12 ½ cups water, for blanching to a rolling boil and set a bowl of iced water beside it. Blanch the cauliflower for 2 minutes, the beans for 2 minutes and the carrots for 3 minutes, one after another, lifting each into the iced water with a slotted spoon. They should be bright and still crunchy. Drain well.

Step 4: Heat the 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and cook the onion, jalapeños and garlic for 2–3 minutes, just until the onion is glossy but still crisp.

Step 5: Add the 2 cups white vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano, 3 bay leaves, 3 cloves and 1 tsp black peppercorns, bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.

Step 6: Add the drained vegetables, stir, and as soon as it comes back to a boil take the pan off the heat.

Step 7: Pack the vegetables into the jar and pour over the hot vinegar so everything is covered. Leave to cool, close and refrigerate overnight before eating.

Step 8: Keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, with the vegetables under the vinegar, and use a clean, dry fork each time. Throw it out if the brine turns slimy or ropey, you see mould, it fizzes or smells off. (A little cloudiness from the oil and herbs is normal, but the vegetables should stay crisp and smell clean and sour.)