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Eggplants for Winter 'Mother-in-law's Tongue'
Instructions
I prepare the ingredients – the quantities are calculated for a medium level of heat. For those who love fiery seasonings, the amount of hot pepper can be increased by 0.5–1 pod.
I cut the stem off the eggplants and then slice them into rounds 0.75–1 centimetre thick – this thickness gives the proper "tongue" texture; thinner ones fall apart while stewing, thicker ones stay tough inside. I put them in a roomy bowl.
To remove the bitterness characteristic of this vegetable, I mix the slices with salt and let them stand for half an hour. During this time the rounds become covered with drops of bitter liquid – that is the bitter juice that the salt draws out osmotically.
In the meantime I get on with preparing the vegetables for the marinade. I free the bell pepper from its stem and seed core – seeds give the marinade an unpleasantly coarse texture.
I cut the pepper itself into large pieces that are easy to mince. From the hot pepper I cut off only the tip, leaving the whole inside together with the seeds – this makes the flavour hotter, because the capsaicin is mainly in the seeds and inner membranes. I cut the tomatoes into 2–4 pieces and simply peel the garlic.
I put all the prepared pieces through a meat grinder or blender to get a slightly runny puree-like mass – this is what becomes the base of the spicy "mother-in-law's" marinade.
Once the time is up, I rinse the eggplants in cold water and squeeze out the moisture – rinsing removes the excess salt, and squeezing reduces the wateriness of the finished dish. I transfer the rounds to a pot.
I pour the tomato mixture over them – the puree completely covers the eggplants, which ensures even cooking.
I add the salt and the vegetable oil – this salt is now for the final flavour (not to be confused with the salt for removing bitterness). The oil forms a thin film over the liquid when stored in the jar.
Next I add the vinegar – right now, before cooking, so that during the subsequent stewing it saturates the whole mass.
I mix everything thoroughly – it is important that every eggplant round is coated with the marinade on all sides.
I put the pot on medium heat and stew it for 30 minutes from the moment it comes to the boil, remembering to lift the bottom layers of eggplant up to the top from time to time so that all the pieces heat evenly. I prepare clean glass containers with lids, which need to be sterilised by any convenient method.
I spoon the hot eggplants together with the marinade into the jars, making sure no air pockets form inside – air in the jar means a risk of mould. I screw the lids on.
I turn the preserve upside down and wrap it in a warm blanket, leaving it like this for 8 hours – the slow cooling under the blanket works like a mini autoclave, finishing off any remaining microflora.It is best to move the "Mother-in-law's Tongue" eggplants for winter to a dark, cool place – there the seal will keep until the next harvest. It can also be stored at room temperature, though. These fiery rounds together with their fragrant marinade can simply be spread on bread – it is very tasty. And as a snack alongside all sorts of dishes, this preserve is simply delicious.
Tips
- 1
SALTING TO REMOVE BITTERNESS – the "secret" of the tender taste. Without salting, the eggplants in the finished preserve can be bitter (especially large, overgrown ones). Half an hour under salt plus a rinse and the bitterness goes completely, leaving a clean vegetable flavour.
- 2
ROUNDS 1 CM THICK – the "secret" of the "tongue" texture. Thinner and they fall apart while stewing, turning to puree. Thicker and they will not cook through inside and stay tough. Exactly 0.75–1 cm and they cook through but hold their shape. The same trick works in fried eggplants in tomato sauce for winter.
- 3
THE SEEDS OF THE HOT PEPPER – the "secret" of the heat. Without the chilli seeds the dish is moderately spicy. With the seeds and membranes it has a fiery heat, the real "mother-in-law's tongue". The level is adjusted by choice: remove the seeds for a milder version, leave them in for the classic one.
- 4
SQUEEZING THE EGGPLANTS AFTER RINSING – the "secret" against wateriness. Without squeezing, the excess water dilutes the marinade and the preserve turns out runny. Squeezed rounds soak up all the aroma of the marinade and the texture comes out dense. The same principle is used in eggplants "Ogonyok" for winter.
FAQ
Which eggplants should I choose for "Mother-in-law's Tongue"? +
The "classics" are dark-purple eggplants of medium size, 15–20 cm long, with firm skin and no dry stem – varieties such as "Almaz", "Chyorny Krasavets" and "Epic F1". Alternatives: white eggplants (premium, with no bitterness, you can skip the salting), round "Rotonda" (they slice into large rounds), young eggplants up to 15 cm (premium, more tender, but smaller rounds). Do not use: overgrown large eggplants with old, tough skin and big seeds – they are more bitter than usual and do not soak up the marinade. Fresh from the garden is the "star" choice.
Can I skip the step of salting the eggplants to remove bitterness? +
Only for young, small eggplants up to 15 cm long and for white varieties – their bitterness is minimal. For large ones, especially overgrown or dark-skinned, the salting cannot be skipped, otherwise the whole preserve will have a characteristic bitterness. If you are in a great hurry, you can shorten the salting time to 15 minutes and rinse thoroughly. An alternative way to remove bitterness is to soak the sliced rounds in salted water for 30 minutes. But the classic dry salting works most reliably of all.
How long do "Mother-in-law's Tongue" eggplants for winter keep? +
In a cool pantry (8–15°C) – up to 1.5 years without losing colour or flavour. In an ordinary kitchen cupboard at room temperature – up to 1 year. After opening the jar – 5–7 days in the fridge under the lid. Signs of spoilage: a swollen lid, cloudy marinade with bubbles of fermentation, a sour or rotten smell, mould on the surface – I throw such a jar away. A correctly made preserve becomes more fragrant and less spicy with age – the chilli mellows in the marinade and the garlic passes its aroma to the whole mass. After 2–3 months of storage the flavour is at its most balanced.
What should I serve "Mother-in-law's Tongue" eggplants with? +
A universal snack to go with many dishes. The classics are fried or boiled potatoes, shashlik, meat patties. For supper: with buckwheat or rice, boiled chicken. On a sandwich: black bread with butter and a round of "Mother-in-law's Tongue" on top, or rye with salo. With alcohol: dark beer, Georgian "Saperavi" wine, vodka with a cold snack. For the festive table: in a separate bowl with herbs and a slice of lemon. With grains: crumbly buckwheat with butter, boiled rice, pearl barley. It suits both a family dinner and a large feast.
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