Orange-Ginger Pickled Baby Carrots

Ingredients

• 2 lb baby carrots with tops, peeled and trimmed, leaving 1/2 inch of stems intact; or 2 lb medium carrots, peeled and cut into roughly 3- by 1/2-inch sticks.
• 2 cups white wine vinegar
• 5 (3-inch) strips orange zest
• 2 cups fresh orange juice
• 5 (1- to 2-inch) dried hot chiles
• 1 (2-inch) piece peeled ginger, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 1 cup sugar

Directions

1. Blanch carrots in a nonreactive 4- to 5-qt heavy pot of salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Transfer carrots to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain in a colander and transfer to a heatproof bowl
2. Bring vinegar, orange zest and juice, chiles, ginger, sugar, and 1 1/2 tsp salt to a boil in same pot, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Pour over carrots and cool, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
3. Chill carrots in pickling liquid in an airtight container, shaking container occasionally, at least 1 day.