Ingredients
Vegetables and Herbs
- 2 Pounds eggplant (peeled and cut into small strips)
- ½ Cup Fresno chili peppers (sliced)
- 2 Cloves garlic (minced or finely sliced)
- ¼ Cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- ¼ Cup fresh basil (chopped)
Preserving Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
- 2 Cups white distilled vinegar
- 2 Cups water
- 2 to 3 Cups extra virgin olive oil (good quality)
Instructions
- Salt Eggplant: Add the peeled and cut eggplant strips to a colander and evenly sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt over them. Use your hands to thoroughly mix and coat all the eggplant strips with salt.
- Rest to Release Water: Let the salted eggplant strips rest in the colander for 4 to 6 hours. This resting time draws out excess moisture from the eggplant, ensuring they become tender and able to absorb flavors.
- Prepare Vinegar Mixture: In a large pot, combine 2 cups of white distilled vinegar and 2 cups of water. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium-high heat to prepare for blanching the eggplant.
- Rinse and Boil Eggplant: After resting, rinse the eggplant strips under cold running water to remove the excess salt. Add the eggplant to the boiling vinegar and water mixture, and boil for 2 minutes to enhance preservation and flavor absorption.
- Drain and Dry: Drain the blanched eggplant and rinse with cold water to cool down. Using your hands, squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the eggplant strips, then lay them on paper towels for about 10 minutes to dry completely.
- Layer Jar Ingredients: Line up three 16-ounce canning jars. Evenly layer the eggplant strips, sliced Fresno chili peppers, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and chopped basil into the jars, distributing the ingredients evenly across the jars.
- Pour Olive Oil: Pour 2 to 3 cups of good quality extra virgin olive oil over the layered ingredients in the jars until everything is completely covered, which helps in preserving the eggplant and imparting rich flavor.
- Serve: Serve the pickled eggplant chilled or at room temperature with toasted baguette slices, or use it as a condiment or side dish to complement your meals.
Notes
- Peeling the eggplant helps avoid bitterness and allows better absorption of marinade flavors.
- Salt draws out water to improve texture and allows eggplant to better soak up the pickling liquid.
- Be sure to completely cover the jar ingredients with olive oil to prevent spoilage and extend shelf life.
- The pickled eggplant should be refrigerated after preparing and is best consumed within 1 to 2 weeks.
- You can adjust the number of chili peppers to control the spiciness of the dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 4-6 hours resting)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Pickled Vegetable
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
