Eggplants like mushrooms - a recipe for winter preservation without sterilization
When fried, eggplants absorb a lot of oil, which is why many eggplant lovers avoid canning them for winter salads. Try preserving the vegetables using this recipe with step-by-step photos, and you're sure to make this quick and delicious dish again and again, giving eggplants a mushroom-like flavor. The characteristic eggplant bitterness is completely eliminated, and the dish's flavor is richly mushroomy, piquant, and aromatic. The salad is easy to prepare because it's prepared without sterilization, ensuring the vegetables retain their maximum nutritional value.
Eggplants are renowned for their beneficial properties: they normalise heart function, combat atherosclerosis, and remove "bad" cholesterol.
Vegetables pair well with garlic and parsley. You can add a clove of crushed garlic or 6-7 garlic scapes to each jar.
Cooking time: 2 hours. Makes 5 0.5-liter jars.
Ingredients:
- eggplants – 2 kg;
- water – 4 l.;
- vinegar – 100 ml;
- salt – 2 tablespoons;
- bay leaf – 2-3 pcs.;
- allspice – 4-5 peas.
How to prepare mushroom-flavored eggplants for the winter
Wash the eggplants and cut them into large cubes. Place them in a deep bowl.
Dissolve a tablespoon of salt in 2 liters of water and pour the brine over the vegetables. After 1-1.5 hours, remove the eggplants and gently squeeze out any excess moisture with your hands.
Prepare a second brine (2 liters of water + 1 tablespoon of salt). Bring it to a boil in a deep saucepan and add the bay leaf and allspice. Plunge the eggplants into the boiling water and cook for a couple of minutes after boiling, skimming off any foam. Add the vinegar and cover.
Prepare the jars for canning: wash thoroughly with baking soda and sterilize. Fill each jar with eggplants, removed from the brine with a slotted spoon. Press the vegetables lightly. At this point, you can add chopped parsley and garlic. Pour hot brine into each jar and seal with tin lids using a can opener or twist-off lids.
Turn the finished jars of salad upside down and wrap them in a "fur coat." Let them cool completely before turning them upside down. If any of the lids leak, replace them and re-boil the brine. Then store them in a cool, dark place.
This appetizer will keep for at least a year. It pairs perfectly with boiled potatoes, porridge, and meat dishes. Enjoy!