Preserving aubergines?

[Seahorse]

I dont have a bumper crop really but deffo more than I want to eat in one go! I'm thinking some sort of sauce/chutney is the way to go but would love to hear anyone's tried and tested methods!

Claire

[Flummery]

Oh I would LOVE to have had enough aubergines (and FAT enough too!) to need to preserve them. Good luck in your hunt for ideas. I'll watch the tread in hopes for next year!

Flum

[rustylady]

Aubergine (Brinjal) is a popular Indian chutney, sold by many supermarkets. I don't have a recipe to hand, but you could probably Google for one or adapt a standard chutney recipe. I have problems with my chutneys cos when someone asks for the recipe I always find I've tweaked the original a bit and can't remember exactly what went into it. Must write things down.

[Flummery]

I do the same RL - every one an original - but I've never had a bad one.

[muckdiva]

Try Zacusca Seahorse, it's really nice
There's a recipe in the Season to Taste section here:
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ead.php?t=9250

You are lucky to have spare aubergines - I've managed 1 4 inch fruit from about 8 plants!

[Seahorse]

Thanks muckdiva! I remember looking at the Zacusca recipe before but had forgotten about it - d'oh!

Claire

[hectors]

Well, maybe I'm a little late on this post, but this is something I consider worth to be shared.

I'm from Argentina and there's a typical dish here called "berenjenas en escabeche".
Berenjena is the spanish for aubergine... and this recipe is intended for preserving aubergines for long periods of time. I've made escabeches that lasted for two years. Of course, you should take the proper steps in jar sterilization and the such!



Ingredients:
Aubergines
Garlic
Black pepper
Onion
Oil
Vinegar
Quantities for each of the ingredients are at your will/taste!


Recipe:
Slice the aubergines in 1/2" pieces and cover them with salt for about half an hour. After this, remove excess salt by simply shaking the pieces.
Place the aubergines in a cooking pot, preferabily a steel one, and cover them with vinegar. Bring to boil in a medium fire. As soon as the aubergines are tender and cooked, take them out and put in sterilized glass jars. Alternate aubergine layers with garlic, onion slices, black pepper... and if you like it hot, this is the time for throwing in a few chiles too!
Now cover it all with oil, and store for at least two weeks before eating.

That's it!

[Flummery]

That sounds really good! Sadly my aubergine were thin little things - very tasty but not enough to need conservation techniques. However, there is next year to look forward to!
Welcome to the grapevine. I gather you are not in Argentina now? You can put your location (vaguely) in your profile and we can see where you are now. It helps when people ask questions about the hardiness of plants if we know where they are. Hope to hear more of your 'native' recipes.

[hectors]

Actually, I'm living in Argentina and will probably continue to do so in the near future!

I've had great success with hydroponic aubergines, as well as tomatoes and chiles (all are the same family). Maybe you could give that a try next year...

Gonna edit my profile right now, still a newbie here... see you!

[Flummery]

Yes, after I'd asked - I spotted that you still live there in your other post! Should read everything before I reply.

[MissGreen]

What kind of aubergine are you growing seahorse? Trying to find out what to grow next year.

[Seahorse]

Thanks Hector, sounds good!

Miss Green, they were Calliope F1 from Thompson & Morgan. They're a small variety, which I think was very advantageous in a poor year, as they didn't need such a long season to mature.