Angie shared these truly delicious pickled eggplants and we couldn’t get enough! She has been kind enough to share her recipe with us and I hope you enjoy making some yourself with the last flush of eggplants from the garden.

Pickled Eggplant

Ingredients:

• 4 eggplants
• 2 cups of vinegar
• 2 cups of water
• dried oregano
• finely chopped garlic
• chillies (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Peel the eggplants and slice them into 8 cm x 5 mm wide strips
2. As you cut up one eggplant place it into a large bowl and sprinkle liberally with salt.
3. Continue doing this until all the eggplants are done
4. Place a plate on top of the eggplants and weigh them down with a brick
5. Leave for 24 hours (a brick weighs about 3-3.5 kg so you can also use a saucepan filled with water to weigh that much as I have done here.)

   

6. Sterislise jars, lids and handling equipment like slotted spoons and forks
7. Bring 2 cups of water and two cups of white vinegar to the boil
8. Take a handful of the eggplant, squeeze out the brown liquid and place into the boiling liquid for 90 seconds.
9. Remove with a slotted spoon and put into a colander.
10. Continue doing this until all the eggplant is cooked.
11. *NOTE- Don’t be tempted to put all the eggplants into the water and vinegar at the same time-only a handful at a time
12. Replenish the water and vinegar as and when you need it
13. Once all the eggplants are cooked and well strained place them  into a bowl and dress with olive oil, dried oregano, garlic and chillies (optional), mixing well
14. Spoon into sterile jars and cover with olive oil and tap jar on the bench top to make sure that air bubbles are removed from the pickles.
15. The eggplant pickles should then be placed in the refrigerator at below 3ºC and used within 7 days to prevent the growth of clostridium botulism bacteria.

• Note that it is most important to prepare your jars.lids and utensils by sterislising them and having clean conditions for prepatation. Refrigeration below or at 3ºC is essential and jars should be dated and used within 7-10 days for safety.

Growing your ingredients –  Growing Eggplant