Greek cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Pickled Stuffed Baby Eggplants

Small eggplants are blanched, stuffed with garlic and celery, and pickled in a vinegar brine.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 1 kg small eggplants
• 1 head garlic
• 1 bunch celery (with leaves)
• 2 carrots
• 500 ml white wine vinegar
• 300 ml water
• 2 tbsp coarse sea salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 100 ml olive oil

Instructions

1. Wash the eggplants, trim the stems, and cut a deep lengthwise slit into each without cutting all the way through — this creates a pocket for the filling.
2. Bring the vinegar, water, and sea salt to a boil and blanch the eggplants for 6–8 min. until just tender, then remove and set the brine aside.
3. Place the eggplants cut-side down, weighted, on a rack to drain for 2 hours so as much liquid escapes as possible.
4. Slice the garlic cloves, cut the carrots into thin sticks, and cut the celery with its leaves into short pieces.
5. Stuff each eggplant with garlic, carrot, and celery, tie shut with a strip of celery, and pack tightly into clean jars.
6. Fill with the cooled brine along with the bay leaves and peppercorns, top with the olive oil, and let cure in a cool place for 2 weeks before serving as a meze.