Marinated Garden Vegetables - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
2 sprigs fresh oregano (or 2 t. dried)
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 medium zucchini, sliced crosswise (or summer squash)
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
1 onion, cut into eighths
1/2 cup green olives (optional) or 1/2 cup black olives, pitted (optional)
fresh ground black pepper

Preparation

Put the vinegar, salt, oregano, bay leaves, garlic, olive oil, and 1 quart water in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Add the broccoli and cauliflower; cook for a minute, then add the zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, onion, and olives; cover and turn off the heat.
Let cool to room temperature in the pot.
Serve at room temperature or chilled, drizzled with some of the liquid and olive oil and sprinkled with lots of black pepper.
Keep the mixture in its liquid in a covered plastic or glass container in the refrigerator for a month or more.
You can serve with toothpicks, on top of greens or tossed with salads, on top of grilled vegetables, as a pickle alongside sandwiches.