We always wanted to make a giardiniera. We just didn't want to make a traditional one.

Around the time we started, everyone was talking about chilli crisp. So we thought, fuck it, let's put some in and see what happens. The chilli crisp we used had peanuts in it, and pickled peanuts turned out to be so good that we added more. That's how an Italian garden pickle ended up with chilli oil and peanuts in the jar.

The short answer: giardiniera (jar-dee-NYAIR-ah) is an Italian pickle of mixed vegetables, usually cauliflower, carrot, celery and peppers, preserved in vinegar. The name means "from the garden". ACIDE Chilli Crisp Giardiniera keeps the classic crunchy veg and adds chilli crisp, peanuts and a layer of chilli oil on top.

What is traditional giardiniera?

In Italy, giardiniera is a jar of chunky vegetables pickled in vinegar and served as part of antipasto, next to cured meats and cheese. Cauliflower, carrot and celery are the backbone, usually with capsicum and onion.

In Chicago it took a different turn: chopped smaller, packed in oil, made hot, and piled onto Italian beef sandwiches. Ours sits somewhere between the two, then goes off in its own direction.

What's in ours?

Cauliflower, celery, carrot, jalapeño, wombok and capsicum, pickled in apple cider vinegar. Then peanuts and chilli crisp go in, and we float chilli oil over the top before the lid goes on. Same veg, every batch.

The chilli crisp brings MSG with it, and we love it for that. It's what gives the jar its savoury, umami depth, the thing that makes you go back for another forkful without quite knowing why.

How hot is it?

Warm, not wild. The jalapeño and chilli crisp give it a kick, and the vinegar and veg keep it fresh. One customer put it best in a review: "Has a bite but not too much chilli."

How do you eat giardiniera?

• In a bowl before dinner. Put a big bowl on the table to get the appetite going.
• In a sub. Mortadella, cheese, a heavy spoonful of giardiniera and its oil. That's lunch.
• Next to cold meats. Salami, ham, pork pies, a cheese board.
• Straight from the jar. Nobody's watching.

Is it vegan and gluten free?

It's vegan and has no gluten ingredients. We do use malt vinegar in our kitchen for the Deli Style Mustard, so if you're coeliac, check the label. It contains peanuts and soy, so it's not one for anyone with those allergies. Keep it in the fridge once it's open.

Where to buy it

Most of our giardiniera goes to bread shops and butchers, which makes sense: it's built for bread and cured meat. You'll find it at 400+ independent shops across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT, at our Melbourne farmers markets, or online in a 700g jar. Bakery or butcher? Open a trade account.

Not your nonna's

We're not trying to replace the classic. We just wanted a giardiniera that tastes like now: sour, savoury, a bit of heat, a lot of crunch. If you've only ever had the traditional kind, try this one next.