At the end of the summer the brinjal crop is always excellent and as they mound up on the kitchen counter it’s time to create some delicious food.
Most of my recipes originate in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
Today’s recipe hails from Italy. The Italians make the most delicious pickled vegetables that form part of the antipasto table.
They are very easy to prepare and in Italy they are preserved in the late summer to be enjoyed all year round.
There are several recipes that call for fried brinjals, but I like this one which entails no frying. Blanching the spongy slices in the water, salt and vinegar solution allows the pickling solution to penetrate. The only oil is in the dressing.
You can play around with the volumes of garlic and chilli according to taste.
Tip: this recipe also works perfectly for strips of courgette
You will also notice that I do not pre salt the brinjals. In bygone days it was essential as brinjals were often bitter and the salt drew out the bitter juices. Today’s varieties are no longer bitter, so this step is omitted.
Previously I have posted more delicious recipes using brinjals:
