Pickled Eggplant
It’s getting near the end of the summer season so I’m putting up some eggplant to tide me over until spring.
This a simple recipe from the south of Italia. The pickled eggplant is preserved under olive oil (sott’olio) and will keep in your refrigerator for weeks, even months.
Let the eggplant sit in the refrigerator for a few days to reach its peak flavor. The vinegar mellows and the eggplant picks up a hint of garlic, oregano and bay as it marinates in the jar. The red hot pepper adds a little sparkle at the end of each bite. (I used a small Calabrian chili pepper packed in EVOO.)
The pickled eggplant is a wonderful addition to an antipasti platter. Use it as a crostini topping. Serve it as a side with meat or fish.
Buon appetito!
Pickled Eggplant
Ingredients
- 3 Italian eggplants
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- 1 small hot pepper, dried or packed in olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup white wine or plain white vinegar
- sea salt
- 1/4 cup EVOO
Cooking Directions
- Cut off the ends of the eggplant and peel the skin.
- Cut the eggplant in 1-inch slices and cut the slices into 1-inch strips.
- Put the eggplant in a colander and salt well.
- Put a plate and a heavy weight on top of the eggplant. Let sit in the sink for an hour. (This helps drain off the bitter liquid.)
- After an hour, rinse the eggplant well and squeeze out any excess water.
- Spread the eggplant on a baking pan covered with a kitchen towel and let the strips dry out more.
- In a heavy pan, bring 2 cups of water and a cup of vinegar to a boil.
- Put the eggplant in the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.
- Shut off the heat and let the eggplant sit in the water for 30 minutes. The eggplant should be tender but not mushy.
- Drain the eggplant in a colander and when cool enough to handle, squeeze out excess liquid.
- Put the EVOO, oregano, garlic, bay leaf and hot pepper in a large bowl. Mix well.
- Add the eggplant and mix well with the oil.
- Put the eggplant and marinade in a storage jar. Add more EVOO to fully cover the eggplant.
- Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. Let the eggplant sit for a couple of days to develop its full flavor.
- Let the eggplant come to room temperature before serving.
Take advantage of the end of the summer bounty. If you like this recipe try my giardiniera and pickled vinegar peppers.
N.B. I have to tell you that these are not canning recipes. My stuff lasts weeks or even months in the refrigerator. Just be sure that the eggplant is always fully covered by olive oil. If you want to keep the eggplant for a long time in your pantry, follow standard canning techniques to ensure food safety.
I see the picture and blog about the pickled eggplant, but I don’t see the recipe. I would love to see the recipe so I can make the pickled eggplant. Thank you.