Yesterday, we picked our first crop of Italian eggplants. Usually, I make them stuffed or parmigiana or simply fried. Today, I decided to make them sott'olio (pickled) so that we can enjoy them all year round.
Ideal for appetizers and side dishes or filling for sandwiches.
Ingredients
2 pound eggplant, peeled
and cut into sticks or round
Kosher salt
2 cups white-wine
vinegar
1 cup fresh celery, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves,
coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon finely
chopped oregano or mint (optional)
Red peperoncino for color (optional)
About 1 1/2 cups olive
oil (approximate)
|
All photos - Copyright - ©-La Casa e Il Giardino |
Preparation
Toss
eggplant with 1/4 cup salt and drain in a colander set over a bowl.
Cover the eggplant with a plate and a weight (such as a gallon of water), at
room temperature for 4 hours or more. (Eggplant will turn brown.) Discard liquid in bowl.
Gently
squeeze all of the eggplant and place in a bowl.
Cover with vinegar at room temperature for 2 hours or so.
In the meantime, chop garlic, celery, peperoncino, oregano or mint
Drain in colander, then set colander over a bowl and cover eggplant
again with a plate and the weight.
Discard liquid in bowl.
Gently squeeze
handfuls of eggplant to remove excess liquid, then pat dry with paper towel.
Stir together eggplant, garlic, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Transfer to a 1-quart jar or smaller containers with a tight-fitting lid. Use a wooden spoon to press eggplant so as to omit pockets.
Add just enough olive oil to cover eggplant. After a day, oil may drain down the jar, add more oil, if needed, to cover eggplant.
The jars may be kept in the pantry or closet. Refrigerate once jar is opened.
|
Melanzane sott'olio
|