avg —
Appetizer of Marinated Eggplants with Bell Peppers and Onions
Instructions
For this recipe I choose small eggplants, ideally young ones with small seeds – they are not bitter and have tender flesh without a spongy texture. I wash the eggplants thoroughly under running water with a sponge to remove any dirt from the skin. I pat them dry with paper towels and cut off the stalks at both ends – they are tough and inedible.
I cut the eggplants into rounds about 1 cm thick – this thickness is ideal for soaking up the marinade while keeping their shape. If the eggplants are bitter (you can tell by the dark, large seeds inside), I sprinkle the rounds with a layer of salt and leave them for 20–30 minutes – the salt draws out the bitterness along with the juice. Then I rinse them thoroughly under water and squeeze them out.
I put the sliced eggplants into a large pot of at least 3 litres and cover them with cold water so the vegetables are completely submerged. I set it over high heat and bring it to the boil. From the moment it boils I cook them for exactly 5 minutes, stirring now and then with a wooden spatula for even cooking – overcooked eggplants will fall apart, undercooked ones will stay tough.
I carefully lift out the boiled eggplants with a slotted spoon so as not to spoil the shape of the rounds. I place them in a deep bowl and leave them to cool at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes – hot eggplants would go to mush when mixed with the other ingredients. I drain the water away – it is no longer needed.
I peel the Crimean onion (200 g) – it has a lovely purple colour and a sweet taste without bitterness, which is ideal for cold appetisers. I cut large onions into thin half-rings about 3–4 mm thick, and small ones into whole rings. Thin slicing lets the onion marinate faster and release its sweetish flavour.
I take a clean pot or container of about 2 litres for marinating. I lay the first layer of sliced Crimean onion on the bottom – it will be the base and will soak up the marinade best of all. I spread the onion evenly over the whole bottom.
I wash the bell peppers (300 g) thoroughly under running water. I cut them in half, remove the stalks, seeds and white membranes – they add bitterness. I slice the peppers into strips about 1 cm thick – this size goes well with the eggplant rounds. For a nice look I use peppers of different colours – red, yellow and orange.
I lay the sliced bell peppers as the second layer in the pot, on top of the onion. I press them down lightly with a spoon to compact them – this way more vegetables fit in and they soak up the marinade better.
I peel 5 cloves of garlic and chop them into small pieces with a knife or through a press. Garlic gives the appetiser a piquant kick and enhances the flavour of all the ingredients. Do not grate the garlic – it will turn to mush and will not look attractive in the appetiser.
I add the chopped garlic to the cooled eggplants in the bowl. I mix gently so the garlic is spread evenly over all the rounds – this way every piece will be fragrant.
I rinse the parsley (about 25 g) thoroughly under cold water, shake off the excess moisture and pat it dry with a paper towel. I chop it finely with a sharp knife – a coarse chop will not give an even distribution over the eggplants.
I add the chopped parsley to the eggplants with garlic. The parsley gives the appetiser a fresh, herby aroma and a bright green colour – this makes the dish more appetising to look at.
I rinse the dill (about 25 g) in the same way, pat it dry and chop it finely. Dill adds a special aroma that goes beautifully with marinated vegetables. You can use only dill or only parsley, but a combination of the two herbs gives a more interesting flavour.
I add the dill to the eggplants with parsley and garlic. The herbs should completely cover all the eggplant rounds.
I mix the eggplants thoroughly with the herbs and garlic by hand or with two spoons – every eggplant round should be coated with garlic and herbs. This guarantees that each piece will be fragrant and tasty.
I lay the eggplants with herbs and garlic as the third layer in the pot, on top of the bell peppers. I spread them out evenly, pressing down lightly to compact them.
If any onion is left, I lay it as the fourth layer on top of the eggplants. Layering like this lets the marinade soak through all the vegetables evenly and creates an attractive structure when serving.
I lay the remaining bell peppers as the top layer – they will look attractive on top and will protect the lower layers from contact with the air.
I make the marinade: into a small pot I pour 250 ml of water, add 50 ml of vinegar 9%, 30 ml of vegetable oil, 1 tbsp of salt and 0.5 tbsp of sugar. I set it over medium heat and bring it to the boil, stirring constantly until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved. I boil it for 1 minute. I take it off the heat and cool it to room temperature – a hot marinade would cook the vegetables on top.
I pour the cooled marinade over the layered vegetables. The marinade should completely cover the top layer – if there is not enough, make an extra batch in the same proportions.
I set a weight on top: I place a flat plate of a suitable diameter on the vegetables and put a weight on it (a jar of water, a pot or a stone). I leave it at room temperature for 1 hour – under pressure the vegetables release their juice and are completely covered by the marinade.
After an hour I remove the weight, cover the pot with a lid and put it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, or better a full day. The marinated eggplants with bell peppers and onions are ready! I serve them as a cold appetiser, garnished with fresh herbs. I keep them in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 weeks.
Tips
- 1
Choose young eggplants with small, light-coloured seeds – they are not bitter and do not need to be soaked in salt beforehand. Old eggplants with large dark seeds should definitely be salted and left for 30 minutes.
- 2
Crimean onion can be replaced with red salad onion – it is also sweet and not bitter. Ordinary onion should first be marinated in boiling water with vinegar for 10 minutes to remove the bitterness.
- 3
For a spicier appetiser, add a pinch of ground red pepper to the marinade, or some hot chilli pepper cut into thin rings.
- 4
The appetiser keeps in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container for up to 2–3 weeks. Over time the flavour becomes richer and deeper.
FAQ
What can I use instead of Crimean onion? +
Use red salad onion or white sweet onion – they have a mild taste without bitterness. Ordinary onion needs to be marinated first: pour boiling water with 1 tbsp of vinegar over the sliced onion for 10 minutes, then drain the water.
Can I skip boiling the eggplants? +
You can fry the sliced eggplants in a pan in vegetable oil until soft and golden. The flavour will be richer and have a characteristic roasted aroma, but the calorie content of the dish will increase by 2–3 times because of the absorbed oil.
Why did my eggplants turn out bitter? +
Old eggplants with large dark seeds were used – they contain a lot of solanine, which gives the bitterness. Next time, salt the sliced eggplants and leave them for 30 minutes, then rinse them thoroughly and squeeze them out before boiling.
How long do marinated eggplants keep? +
In the refrigerator, in a tightly closed container, the appetiser keeps for up to 2–3 weeks. It is important that the vegetables are completely covered with marinade. Only take the eggplants out with a clean fork – microbes getting in shorten the shelf life.
- Comment
or post as a guest
Be the first to comment.
