Food is rarely just food—it’s memories of meals prepared together and shared with family and friends. This recipe always takes me back to my mother’s kitchen, which in late summer resembled a small canning factory—with me as her chief assistant!
Fresh produce and fruit were abundant and inexpensive, and we roasted and pickled vegetables, made fruit preserves and prepared compotes, capturing some of that summer abundance for our table during the winter. It was a great deal of work, but my mother loved it and continued making winter preserves until the end of her life—even in later years, when similar products were readily available in shops and fresh fruit and vegetables could be found throughout the year.
I think the sight of her jars, neatly arranged on the pantry shelves, gave her a deep sense of satisfaction—and the comforting feeling that she was ready for the cold months ahead.
I don’t do any canning myself—and with this recipe, there is no need to. Simply keep the jar in the refrigerator for a few days to allow the flavors to blend. Then enjoy the deliciously garlicky marinated eggplant, bruschetta-style, on a slice of crusty bread topped with fresh tomatoes. It is heavenly! Pair it with a glass of chilled white wine on a hot summer day—or any day, really!
Ingredients
- 1 big eggplant
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil (or as needed)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 sprig parsley roughly chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, quartered
Method
- Wash and dry the eggplant well, then cut it into rounds about one finger thick. Place the slices in a bowl, sprinkle them generously with salt, and let them sit for 30 minutes. This helps draw out some of the moisture and reduce any bitterness.
- Drain the released liquid, then rinse the eggplant slices lightly under water to remove the excess salt. Pat them dry.
- Pour a generous amount of olive oil into a skillet and heat it over medium heat. Eggplants are like sponges and will absorb quite a bit of oil as they cook, so add more as needed to prevent the skillet from becoming dry. Don’t worry about the eggplant being too oily—the oil will become part of the marinade.
- Cook the eggplant slices in batches, turning them once, until they are nicely browned on both sides.
- Pour about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar into a shallow bowl. Dip each fried eggplant slice into the vinegar, then arrange the slices tightly in a clean glass jar (there should not be air left between them,) sprinkling a few parsley leaves and thinly sliced garlic between the layers.
- Pour the remaining vinegar over the eggplant rounds. Gently press the top layer with a spoon to release any left over air.
- Cover the jar with a lid and refrigerate for 2–3 days to allow the flavors to blend.
- Serve the marinated fried eggplant as an appetizer on its own, or bruschetta-style on crusty bread, topped with freshly chopped tomatoes.
Notes
Did you know that there are white eggplants which is where probably the name of the plant came from? The fruit does resemble big, shiny eggs.
I had seen some in Bulgaria and the other day I saw them in my local supermarket in Yokohama so I had to try. One would think that it won't release dark brown liquid when salted but it does. It behaves and tastes in exactly the same way as the usual purple variety. It just looks different.