Coats 'em on the way out and maybe helps to distribute the spices.
Yep, that’s exactly like the Mezzetta and Cento versions I menioned. It’s a very different type of dish than the Chicago one. I mean, both are fine – just used quite differently. Chicago giardiniera is used in a similar way to, say, something like muffaletta salad/olive salad, i.e. as a sandwich condiment. You wouldn’t really eat it on its own. The Subway sandwich shops here in the Chicago area have it as a topping, along with the jalapenos and pepperocinis. It takes a Subway sandwich from being merely serviceable to borderline enjoyable. 
The flavorful, usually spicy, oil is part of the charm. I once picked up the antipasto version by accident somehow, and was so deflated when I realized it wasn’t what I wanted and didn’t work well for that purpose (which I’m sure would happen in reverse, too, though I think Chicago giardiniera is overall much more interesting and useful than the antipasto.)
My Mom used to make tsukemono (Japanese pickled vegetables) with cucumbers and cabbage sometimes.It’s barely a quick pickle, since it’s only salt. Takes a few days and really hit and miss. When it’s good, it’s really good, but most of the time it was meh. Oddly, I never see cucumber tsukemono in the store, but see cucumber kim chee often. I suspect it’s because with just salt, it spoils too quickly.
She also used to make namasu, which is a Japanese quick pickle with vinegar and various thinly sliced vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, turnips and sometimes seaweed and seasoned baby clams that my Mom used. Again, rarely really good, most of the time meh, even when made by others.
Props to this thread for inspiring me, after an initial moment of horrified dismay, to finally get clear in my head the distinction between giardiniera and giardiasis! That initial moment was bad, though.
You and me both, brother! At first I was like, is this some sort of extreme Russian roulette eating thing? Like peppers so hot they can kill you, only pickled in a jar? Who’s gonna get yummy veggies and who’s the giardiniera surprise I thought. but only briefly. And now I don’t feel alone about it.
I also see jardiniere for sale, which I’m assuming is giardinera with a French twist?
I’ve made kimchi a couple times using this recipe:
I’m no fan of kimchi but my wife likes it so it will be on the list. Not too close to the top of the list though.