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Sun-dried eggplant is an Italian appetizer that has become a favorite delicacy in Russia as well. They can be consumed as a stand-alone dish, or added to a variety of salads, pizza or sandwiches. It's easy to prepare sun-dried eggplant for the winter, but it is important to keep in mind some culinary secrets.
Selection and preparation of eggplants
For this dish, it is preferable to choose ripe fruits without damage and light spots. Before preparing sun-dried eggplants for the winter, you need to prepare the main product. To do this, the vegetables should be washed, dried, peeled and stalks removed. If damaged or rotten areas are found, they must be cut out. You can eliminate the characteristic bitterness of eggplant as follows: put chopped vegetables in a bowl, add salt and leave for 20-30 minutes. After the time has elapsed, drain the resulting dark liquid, rinse the workpiece under running water and dry with a towel. After that, you can proceed to further cooking dried eggplants for the winter.
What is the best way to cut eggplants
There are several optimal ways to cut this vegetable, depending on the future use:
- diced - most often used to make stews or caviar;
- also quite common is the method of cutting into circles, 0.5 - 1 cm thick;
- dried vegetables in halves can be used to prepare stuffed dishes;
- straws - best suited for salads and soups;
- sliced eggplants are suitable for rolls.
The best recipes for dried eggplant for the winter
There are many different recipes that differ in cooking technique and composition. Each hostess will be able to choose the one that suits her the most.
In the oven
To make sun-dried eggplants for the winter in the oven, you will need:
- sunflower oil - 100 ml;
- eggplant - 1 kg;
- black pepper - 5 g;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- rosemary - 3 sprigs;
- salt to taste;
- 5 g each dried oregano and thyme.
Step-by-step instructions for snacks for the winter:
- Put prepared eggplants in a thin layer on a pre-greased baking sheet.
- Salt, add spices.
- Place the raw materials in an oven preheated to 100 degrees.
- Dry for at least 3 hours, while opening the door 1-2 cm - for ventilation.
- After the specified time has elapsed, turn off the fire, and leave the workpiece inside the oven until it has completely cooled.
- Put a small amount of eggplant with finely chopped garlic and rosemary on the bottom of the sterilized container, then add oil. Next, alternate the layers so that you get vegetables immersed in oil.
- Roll up the finished product with boiled lids and put in the refrigerator. It is recommended to eat it a week after cooking.
In the dryer
To prepare sun-dried eggplants for the winter in a dryer, in addition to 1 kg of the main component, you will need:
- 100 ml of sunflower oil;
- 5 g each dried rosemary and basil;
- a pinch of ground red pepper;
- salt to taste;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 3 g dried paprika.
How to prepare a snack for the winter:
- Rinse, dry and cut vegetables in any convenient way.
- Pour boiling water over the workpiece for 10 minutes.
- Then drain the water, dry the fruits and put them on the drier tray.
- Set the temperature to 50 degrees.
- Dry for 3 hours.
- The next step is to prepare the dressing. To do this, you need to mix the oil with spices and chopped garlic.
- Put the finished eggplants in a sterile glass container, pour over the sauce.
On open air
For the preparation of sun-dried eggplants for the winter, young fruits with a small amount of seeds are suitable in this way. Put the prepared vegetables on a tray, previously covered with parchment paper. Leave the raw materials for a week in a warm place where direct sunlight does not penetrate. In order for the pieces to dry evenly, they should be turned over at least once a day. It is recommended to cover the tray with the workpiece with a gauze cloth to prevent the entry of pests. In addition, the pieces of fruit can be threaded onto the line with a needle, and then dried hanging in the shade for about 7 days. Vegetables prepared for the winter must be packaged in airtight bags.
In Italian
To make sun-dried eggplants for the winter according to an Italian recipe, in addition to 1 kg of the main ingredient, you will need:
- 1 sprig of parsley;
- 50 ml olive oil;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 250 ml 6% vinegar;
- a pinch of salt;
- 5 g chili peppers.
The process of preparing eggplant blanks for the winter:
- In a heat-resistant dish, bring the specified amount of vinegar to a boil, then send the prepared eggplants.
- Cook for 4 minutes, then put in a colander to drain off unnecessary liquid, then rinse.
- Chop pepper, garlic and parsley.
- Put vegetables and spices in sterile jars, periodically pouring oil.
- Close with hot lids, put in the refrigerator.
In oil with garlic
To make sun-dried eggplants for the winter, you will need:
- 500 g of the main ingredient;
- 250 ml olive oil;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 10 g of Provencal herbs;
- salt to taste.
Step-by-step recipe for sun-dried eggplant for the winter:
- Dry vegetables in any convenient way.
- Next, they begin to prepare the filling: heat the specified amount of oil in a pan, do not bring to a boil, then add the garlic mixture.
- Put eggplants in sterilized glass containers, sprinkle with spices and salt, then pour hot dressing.
- Close the blank with lids, wrap it in a blanket. After a day, put in the refrigerator.
Korean-style sun-dried eggplant
Required products for harvesting eggplant for the winter:
- 2 tbsp. l. soy sauce;
- 1 bell pepper;
- 1 onion;
- 2 tbsp. l. vinegar;
- vegetable oil - for frying;
- 50 g dried eggplant;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- Korean carrots - 100 g.
- coriander and salt to taste.
Step-by-step instructions for preparing snacks for the winter:
- Soak dried eggplants in boiling water for 20 minutes, add salt, then drain in a colander.
- Send coriander and chopped garlic to hot oil.
- After a minute, add the main ingredient, chopped onion and pepper into half rings.
- Fry the resulting mass in a pan for 2 minutes.
- After that, pour in vinegar and soy sauce, remove from heat.
- Cool the workpiece, then add the carrots.
- Divide the finished mass into sterile jars.
It is worth noting that this recipe uses a ready-made Korean carrot salad. You can prepare it as follows: grate the carrots on a special grater, lightly salt and add a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Leave the mixture for 5 minutes to form juice. Then pour in 2 tbsp. l. 9% vinegar and mix well. Pour chopped garlic on top of the mass, 0.5 tsp each. ground coriander, red and black pepper. Next, it is necessary to pour well-heated sunflower oil into the general container, mix everything thoroughly. Leave the salad to infuse for at least 2 hours, after which it is ready for making a Korean eggplant snack for the winter.
Dried eggplants with honey
In addition to 1.5 kg of the main ingredient for preparing a snack for the winter, you will need:
- 60 g of honey;
- 3 tbsp. l. soy sauce;
- 70 ml of vegetable oil;
- 1 tsp. caraway seeds and dry adjika;
- 3 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar.
How to cook dried eggplant for the winter:
- Remove the peel from vegetables, cut into plates of medium thickness.
- Combine and mix all these products except eggplant.
- Pour the raw material with the resulting marinade, leave in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- After the time has elapsed, drain the filling.
- Squeeze the vegetables slightly, then put on a baking sheet.
- Send the workpiece to the oven for 3 hours.
- Dry at a temperature of 60 - 70 degrees, slightly opening the door.
- Cool the finished product, put it in bags with a zip fastener.
How to tell if eggplant is ready
It is necessary to dry eggplants for the winter until fully cooked, since such a product is not subject to long-term storage in a half-baked form. The condition of dried vegetables is somewhere between dried and fried. You can determine readiness by clicking on the fruit. If the piece is slightly springy, then it is ready.
Storage terms and rules
Oil-dried eggplants cooked for the winter should be stored in a cool place. This can be a basement, cellar, or refrigerator. For such a blank, it is preferable to choose a glass container. In a cool place, sun-dried vegetables soaked in oil are stored for 5 months. If the workpiece is thermally processed and preserved, then the shelf life is increased to 1 year. Oil-free sun-dried eggplants can be stored in a cool and dark place in cardboard boxes, fabric bags or special zip-lock bags. Also, this product is stored at room temperature no higher than 28 degrees. But the shelf life in such conditions will be about 3 months.
Conclusion
Sun-dried eggplant for the winter is a delicious snack that is suitable not only for a festive table, but also for daily use. This dish will be a great addition to your breakfast. The taste of eggplant is very similar to mushrooms and even meat, which is why this vegetable is popular and widely used in vegetarian dishes.