Italian immigrants to Chicago had an outsized impact on the city’s food scene during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Few items have endured and even grown in importance as giardiniera, the mix of peppers and other vegetables given a quick pickle and then a soak in oil.

Chicagoans and food tourists seeking out a Chicago-style hot dog or an Italian beef sandwich will find different versions of giardiniera depending on where they’re eating it. At home in Italian-American families like mine, it’s used for hot dogs and sandwiches but also served as a condiment with meat and cheese antipasti, and pretty much anything else that can benefit from the addition of acid, heat, salt, and a fresh and crunchy texture.