1/2 lb garlic, peeled (you can buy them peeled or peel your own*)
1 sweet red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups white vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp celery seed
cheesecloth
Place garlic cloves in a medium bowl. Large cloves can be cut in half. Mix in the red pepper.
Mix together the vinegar and sugar in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Wrap the dry mustard and celery seed in cheesecloth and tie off. Add spice packet to vinegar mixture. Bring to a boil, then boil 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and red pepper. Continue boiling 5 minutes. Discard spice packet.
Place garlic and peppers in sanitized canning jars** (boil jars in a large pot for 5 minutes or the highest hot setting on your dishwasher) to within 1 inch of the top. Fill with remaining liquid to within 1/4 inch from the top.
Cover and store in the refrigerator approximately 3 weeks before serving***.
* I peel my own fresh garlic, but it is an onerous task. You can buy peeled garlic, but I always question it's freshness/potency.
**Canning jars are cheap and available at most grocery stores or hardware stores. How many you need depends on how much you pickle : ) I generally sterilize 4 pints of jars or 2 pints and 4 1/2 pints so I'm covered for whatever I'm cooking up. I often double up the recipes above and below.
***Brine can be added to salad dressings.
French Pickled Garlic
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine (remember, good wine makes good flavor, don't use crappy wine, ever)
1 small dried chile pepper
1 small thyme sprig
1 small rosemary sprig
1 small bay leaf
10 black peppercorns
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pickling salt*
1 cup peeled fresh garlic cloves
Put all ingredients except garlic into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then gently boil for 5 minutes.
Add garlic, return to a boil, cover the pan, remove from heat, and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
Bring the contents of the saucepan to a boil again, then transfer to a sanitized canning jar.
Seal and store in the refrigerator 1 week to one year.
*no iodine or anti-caking agents (so keeps the liquid clear) added, find it next to regular salt