Marinated Eggplant
Making marinated eggplant is easier than you think. Whether you've tried pickling vegetables before or not, all you need is a pinch of patience and a few simple ingredients. Filippo’s method uses a traditional two-day process to draw out moisture from his home grown eggplants, he then lightly blanches the slices, and packs them with flavor. The result is a firm, chewy eggplant with a delicate briny taste, fragrant with oregano, and perfectly balanced. There is no overpowering vinegar taste, just an irresistible one! You can serve them as a side dish, tossed into salad, or straight from the jar. Our ultimate way to enjoy these is layered with cold meats in a panino. Your taste buds will head straight to flavour-heaven!
Equipment
- Peeler
- knife
- Chopping-board
- Bucket
- Tea towel
- Timber (or any heavy object for pressing)
- large pot
- Colander
- Jars (for storage)
- Popsicle sticks (to help push the eggplants down)
Ingredients
- Eggplants
- Rock salt
- 2 liters / 8.4 cups white vinegar
- Chilies optional
- Garlic
- A fresh bunch of basil
- Oregano
- Extra virgin olive oil EVOO
Instructions
Preparing the Eggplant
- Hold the eggplant by the stem and peel the skin. Then cut off the stem.
- Slice the eggplants into 10–12mm thick slices (around 0.3–0.5 inches).
- Depending on how many slices you have, place them in a large bucket or container.
- Sprinkle a generous handful of rock salt over the slices, cover them with a tea towel, and place something heavy on top (like a timber board or any heavy object) to press the eggplant and help release moisture.
- Leave it at room temperature overnight (about 24 hours).
- After 24 hours, bring a large pot of water and white vinegar to a boil (use 2 liters of vinegar to 6 liters of water).
- Drain the salted eggplant using a colander. Once the water is boiling, blanch the eggplant slices for 30 seconds.
- Drain the eggplant again in a colander and place something heavy on top to squeeze out any remaining moisture. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Spread the eggplant slices out on a clean, flat surface, cover with a clean towel or blanket, and let them dry for about 6 hours.
Filling the Jars
- After 6 hours, your eggplant slices are ready for jarring. Finely chop the chilies and garlic.
- In each sterilized jar, place 5 to 6 slices of eggplant flat at the bottom, then add about half a teaspoon of garlic, half a teaspoon of chopped chilies, a pinch of oregano, and a few fresh basil leaves. Repeat the layering process, eggplant followed by the seasonings, until the jar is full.
- Once the jar is full, make sure the top layer is eggplant. Place popsicle sticks across the top to hold the slices down and prevent them from floating. Pour EVOO into the jar until everything is fully covered.
- Place the lid on loosely without tightening it yet. Let the jar sit for a few minutes so the oil can settle and bubbles rise to the top. Once the oil level drops, top it up with more EVOO if needed, then close the lid tightly.