I found out the other day that one can marinade sliced eggplant in a vinaigrette type sauce; oil / vinegar / mustard / spices, and it absorbs the flavors surprisingly well, to the point the eggplant tastes just like the marinade.

Then fry or grill.

For canning I suppose use the same as for regular eggplant, in a pressure canner?

I am not an expert, but my understanding is that eggplant cannot normally be canned. The thread I am linking to has a recipe for a pickled eggplant that is very good (and can be safely canned), as well as an eggplant recipe dip that is wonderful. Perhaps one of them will appeal to you.

Ann

There is a recipe in the Ball Complete book of Home Preserving
called Aubergine Pickles.

It is spiced with oregano and garlic, very good!

If you would like I will post the recipe for you.

busylizzy,

Tell us more about the 'Fairytale' eggplants. How large are they? I've seen pictures of some eggplants which were about the same size as cherry tomatoes. Interesting. There could be some novel uses for them.

Jim

They must be pickled, not canned plain.
You can also freeze it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Freezing eggplant.

Fairytale eggplants are 4 inches long and pretty purple.
Pickled eggplants sounds good to me.
I saw some grilled eggplant with spices at a store, but didn't buy, so I thought canning was OK.
Still looking for a recipe

Still looking for a recipe

That's because I forgot to include the link for the pickled eggplant - sorry about that. If you search this forum for "Madras Pickle Eggplant" you will find the thread I mentioned. However, I copied the recipe below.

It's from Small-Batch Preserving by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard (I'm learning from you all to be good about citing sources ).

Madras Pickled Eggplant

2 lb eggplant (2 large)
3 tbsp white vinegar
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp each: ground ginger and turmeric
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp each: cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds
1 1/4 cups white vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar
2-4 finely chopped and seeded small hot red chile or jalapeno peppers
1/4 cup finely chopped gingerroot
2 tbsp pickling salt

1. Cube unpeeled eggplant into bite-sized pieces and reserve.
2. Combine 3 tbsp vinegar, garlic, chili powder, ginger, and turmeric in a small bowl to form a paste and reserve.
3. Heat oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add cumin and fenugreek seeds and saute for 1 minute. Add eggplant and saute for about 10 minutes or until eggplant is just tender. Add reserved paste and 1 1/4 cups vinegar, sugar, chile peppers, gingerroot, and salt. Stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until boiling.
4. Remove hot jars from canner and ladle pickles into jars to within 1/2 inch of rim. Process 15 minutes for half-pint jars and 20 minutes for pint jars.

Makes 3 pint jars or 6 half-pint jars.

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving 2006
Page 314
Yield 6 pints
Aubergine Pickles
4 ½ cups water
5lbs eggplant
1 ½ cups white vinegar
½ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp pickling or canning salt
6 cloves garlic

In a stockpot, bring water to a rapid boil. Working quickly to prevent browning, peel and remove ends from eggplants. Cut into sticks approximately 3 inches long and ¾ inch wide. Immediately add to stockpot and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 min, pressing the eggplant under the water every 2 min to remove air, until eggplant is tender. Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and rinse with cold running water to stop the cooking process. Let drain for 1 min without pressing out excess liquid. Set aside.

Prepare canner, jars and lids.

In a large saucepan, combine white vinegar, balsamic vinegar, sugar, oregano and salt. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add eggplant and return to a boil. Remove from heat.

Place 1 clove of garlic in each hot jar. Pack hot eggplant into hot jars to a generous ½ inch of top of jar. Ladle hot pickling liquid into jar to cover eggplant, leaving ½ inch headspace.

Place in jars in canner. Process for 15 minutes..

Hey, thanks!
Both of those recipes sound YUMMY!
My Christmas baskets will be nice this year with the addition of spreads like this and the roasted red pepper for bread in the Ball Blue Book 2007.
I may have to buy larger baskets! I usually use the wooden mushrooms baskets and stencil those, use kitchen towels for a liner.
They will include:
Red Rasberry Jelly
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Damson Plum Jam
Peach Pancake Topping
Cider Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper Relish
The Eggplant Relish
Bread and Butter Pickles

Then I make my Grammies Oatmeal Bread and Whole Wheat English Muffin Bread

Hi! I'm new here but I'm wondering if the recipes listed above need to be canned in a water bath or pressure canner.
I've got lots of Fairytale eggplant too!

Thanks! Astrid

busylizzy,

How do I get on your Christmas list?

Jim

Astrid, I am sorry that I did not specify. The Aubergine Pickles recipe calls for a water bath.

What is pickled eggplant like? I have four large eggplants from my farm share and I'm debating what to do with them. One might go into dhal (Indian lentils), I might freeze some for future dhal, but I do love pickles. Is pickled eggplant mushy or spongy? Will it matter that these are large rather than small?

Melissa

The Madras Pickled Eggplant can be BWB'd too.

I've made it and like it a lot as an accompaniement to Indian food (even DH, who doesn't care for pickled things generally, likes a little next to his butter chicken).

Melissa, it doesn't matter for this purpose whether they're large or small eggplants---they're chopped up and thoroughly cooked.

Busylizzy, the Madras pickle is pretty much dark brown in the jar with all those Indian spices, so to show off you pretty little Fairytales you might prefer the plainer pickle, which sounds like it has a mostly clear brine.

Zabby

But

Decided to add this to an existing thread instead of starting a new one to make it easier for the next person who searches this topic ; )

i have a recipe from Edon Waycott's book 'preserving the taste'. i made it several years ago and remember that it was pretty tasty but that i couldn't get a good seal and was dubious about the safety anyway so i just refrigerated it and ate it. After reading a few eggplant threads i'm pretty sure that was the right decision. The recipe includes eggplants, peppers, olive oil, garlic, red pepper, salt and basil. Not safe, right?

There's another recipe that i plan to try-this one calls for dehydrating sliced eggplant and then freezing it. It can be added to pizza, salad or tomato sauce. Most of the posts i've read mention that frozen eggplant gets soggy and this seems like a way to avoid that. i'll post it here so others can give it a go.
***********************************************************
Oven-Dried Herbed Eggplant Slices

3# Japanese eggplant, sliced 1/2" thick
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs chopped fresh basil
1 Tbs chopped fresh marjoram
1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme
1/3 c. olive oil

Combine all ingredients except eggplant. layer eggplant on baking sheets and brush both sides with mixture. Place in center of oven at lowest setting for 24 hours undisturbed. Remove from oven, cool completely to room temperature and pack in freezer bags, expelling as much air as possible, before freezing.

jimster - there is a small eggplant called 'Easter Egg' about the size of an egg.

I am going to try the above recipe in my dehydrator. Sound great.

Hi All,

Well this year (summer 2010) proved to be an excellent crop for our White Eggplant, yes white! Superb because it lacks the bitterness of purple eggplant and not as sour as the Thai Eggplant's (Small round ones). I also grew the fairytale egglplant but didn't know that's what they were called. They were eaten quickly and we only had one plant compared to the three white eggplants, that are still currently yielding fruit (as of September 6, 2010). I want to preserve this white eggplant too but I don't need one more thing that is pickled. Maybe a spread and then put it in my pressure cooker? I would love to slice it as well and marinate with the oils so it's ready for cooking this winter. Any ideas?
Thanks.

M.

Eggplant Tapenade or also called Bruschetta

1 large eggplant*(or 1 pound)cut into 1 inch squares
1 medium red onion,rough chopped
4 ripe tomatoes(Roma tomatoes are good)diced
4 Tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven 450. Toss vegetables and olive oil together in large bowl, season with salt and pepper, lightly toss.
Spread eggplant mixture on jelly roll size pan (a pan with low sides) and roast until eggplant is tender, about 30 to 35 minutes; cool to room temperature. Put eggplant mixture in serving bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice, tenderly toss. Really tasty on toasted crusty bread and a little Feta cheese on top.
* I use what ever kind of eggplant that seems to be ripe at the moment...my favorites are Japanese or Fairy