Ball Canning Eggplant Food

ITALIAN PICKLED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Peel and thinly slice the eggplant, I cut it crosswise in three, then thinly sliced them (see photos), do them one at a time, after you have done one, place the cut eggplant in a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of salt, continue with each eggplant. Cover the bowl and let sit for 8 hours at room temperature.
• After the 8 hours, drain the liquid (but do not rinse the eggplant) and squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible.
• In a big pot bring to a boil the water and white wine vinegar, add the eggplant and boil for about 7-10 minutes or until tender. Taste one to make sure it is tender.
• Drain the eggplant and again wring out excess moisture. Place the eggplant in a large bowl and toss with the spices. Spoon into the sterilized jars , leaving at least 3/4 inch of space, then top with oil. Make sure that the eggplant is completely covered with oil, press down on the eggplant to remove any air bubbles and add more oil if necessary before closing the jar. Let sit at least 24 hours before serving. Enjoy!

EGGPLANT BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Peel the eggplants lengthwise in 1-inch intervals to create stripes. Slice each eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds then cut each round into 1/2-inch dice.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add half of the eggplant and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until the eggplant takes on some color and becomes soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a rimmed baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Repeat with another 3 tablespoons of oil and the remaining eggplant.
• Transfer the eggplant to the oven and bake until very soft, stirring or flipping once, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
• While the eggplant bakes, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the chile flakes and cook, stirring again, for another 30 seconds.
• Stir in the wine, bring to a boil and cook until completely reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sugar, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and break down, about 15 minutes. Using a potato masher, coarsely mash the tomatoes and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes longer.
• Fold the eggplant, basil and oregano into the sauce. Add the pasta and some of the Parmigiano-Reggiano; toss to coat with the sauce, adding some of the reserved pasta water, as needed, to thin the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to shallow bowls and serve, passing the remaining Parmigiano at the table.

GVETCH - AN EGGPLANT RECIPE

Steps:

• Sautee chopped onion and garlic in about one tablespoon of oil until the onions are opaque.
• Add peppers and saute with about five minutes.
• Put in the eggplant, carrots and squash and saute until soft.
• Now add the tomatoes. You can used canned, if you'd like. I usually make this in the summer when tomatoes are abundant so I use fresh Romas, or a similar variety.
• Cook together until everything is very soft and you're able to mash the eggplant with a potato masher. You want any large pieces mashed down to smaller bits. It should look very relish-y. If you want it smooth, use an immersion blender.
• Add spices and let it simmer for five more minutes. Taste and adjust spices, as needed. Remember, though, that spices in canned items get a stronger flavor over time. So, don't go crazy.
• Ladle into clean, hot jars, leave head space of 1", and process quarts for 40 minutes in a pressure canner, adjusting for your altitude. If you use pint jars, you may reduce the time to 30 minutes.

ROASTED EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
• Place the whole eggplant on the pan, prick with a fork in several places, and rub with olive oil. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft when pierced with a knife. Set aside to cool. Halve the eggplant, peel, and discard the skin. Place the eggplant, peppers, and olives in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until coarsely chopped. Pour into a mixing bowl.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the onion is lightly browned. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, and add to the eggplant mixture. Add the parsley, pine nuts, lemon juice, capers, tomato paste, vinegar, salt, and pepper and mix. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop. Taste for seasonings and serve at room temperature with toasted pita triangles.

PICKLED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) - JAMIE OLIVER

Steps:

• Combine water, vinegar and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil.
• Remove the green end of each eggplant. Slice in half lengthwise, then cut across into 1/2" slices. Cut slices into 1/2" batons. Add to boiling brine for 3 minutes. If they float, keep re-submerging them with a spoon.
• Combine oregano, chile, garlic and both oils. Drain eggplant and add to oil mixture. Toss well.
• Put canning jars into boiling water for 5 minutes. Transfer eggplant and oil to canning jars and seal.

CAPONATA - CANNED

Steps:

• Heat 5 Tbs olive oil in stockpot.
• Add eggplant that has been cut into 1" cubes.
• Stir fry 10-12 minutes until golden and touched with brown.
• Add remaining oil, onions, garlic, and celery and stir fry 10 minutes longer until golden.
• Mix in all remaining ingredients, cover, reduce heat to moderately low and simmer 1 hour, stirring about every 10 minutes.
• Uncover and cook until very thick, about the consistency of chutney.
• Prepare 3 pint sized jars.
• Ladle caponata into jars leaving 1 inch headspace.
• Wipe rims with a damp cloth.
• Seal with lids.
• Pressure cooker can pints at 10 pounds pressure for 30 minutes.