Episode four of my eggplant series is my Aunt BeBe’s Pickled Eggplant. And it is something you need to try.
As a kid, I always looked forward to when she would make this. I would bring it to school on Italian bread with some mozzarella. It was delicious. You don’t only have to serve this on sandwiches. You can serve it with your antipasto. I know you’re gonna love it.
Aunt BeBe’s Pickled Eggplant
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
2 lbs Eggplant
1 ½ tsp. Salt
5 Cups Water
2 ½ cups White Wine Vinegar
Dressing
½ Olive Oil, plus extra for jarring
1 Garlic Clove, sliced thinly
1 ½ tbsp. Chopped Parsley
2 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar.
¾ tsp. Salt
¾ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
Method
Clean your eggplant. Peel the eggplant. Slice the eggplant. Long ways into 1/8 inch slices. Then slice into 1/8 inch strips. I like my eggplant very thin.
Put a calendar inside a larger pot. Put a layer of eggplant in the colander and sprinkle with some salt.
It should be about ¼ tsp. of salt per layer.
After the last layer, cover the eggplant with a plate and weight down. I use tomato cans on top of the plate for the weights.
After at least 8 hours (you can do overnight) ring out excess water.
In a pot put the water and 2 ¼ cups of vinegar.
Boil the eggplant for 3 to 4 minutes.
Drain well, gently squeeze out any excess water.
In a bowl add in the olive oil, garlic, parsley, vinegar, red pepper flakes and salt.
Put the eggplant in the bowl with the dressing.
Mix and put in a clean airtight glass jar. Be sure to add more olive in to cover the top of eggplant. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
Note… the olive oil congeal (harden) in the frig. Just bring to room temp and it will loosen before serving.