2000s Recipes + Menus

Marinated Eggplant

Serves12 (antipasto) with leftovers
  • Active time:30 min
  • Start to finish:1 day (includes draining and marinating)
January 2009
This recipe was passed down to food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez via in-laws and aunts from Calabria, Italy, to Brooklyn. In this savory starter, sticks of eggplant readily soak up a garlicky oil-and-vinegar marinade and soften, making them an ideal topping for crusty bread. Although her great-aunt used to make and jar vats of this antipasto, Miraglia Eriquez now prepares and refrigerates smaller batches. You’ll always be glad to have some on hand.

View more of our favorite recipes from this issue.
  • 2 lb eggplant, peeled and cut into 3- by 1/4-inch sticks
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups white-wine vinegar
  • 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano
  • About 1 1/2 cups olive oil, divided
  • Accompaniment:

    crusty Italian bread
  • Toss eggplant with 1/4 cup salt and drain in a colander set over a bowl, covered, at room temperature 4 hours. (Eggplant will turn brown.) Discard liquid in bowl.
  • Gently squeeze handfuls of eggplant. Bring water and vinegar to a boil in a medium pot. Add eggplant and boil, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in colander, then set colander over a bowl and cover eggplant with a plate and a weight (such as a large heavy can). Continue to drain, covered and chilled, 8 to 12 hours. Discard liquid in bowl. Gently squeeze handfuls of eggplant to remove excess liquid, then pat dry.
  • Stir together eggplant, garlic, oregano, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1 cup oil in a bowl.
  • Transfer to a 1-qt jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid and add just enough olive oil to cover eggplant. Marinate eggplant, covered and chilled, at least 4 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Cooks’ note: Marinated eggplant keeps, chilled, 1 month.

Ratings

Comments

Post a Comment

Please note that Gourmet magazine ceased publication after the November 2009 issue.

Subscribers can look forward to receiving Bon Appétit magazine for the remainder of their subscription. If you have questions about your Gourmet magazine subscription, please contact subscription services. If you'd like to purchase past issues of Gourmet, please go to the Condé Nast store.

We regret any inconvenience and thank you for your loyal readership.

Subscribe to Gourmet

Conde Nast Store
Give the Gift of Gourmet

Subscribe

Subscribe to Gourmet
Diary of a Foodie

From Vermont to Vietnam, take a global culinary tour with season three of the award-winning public television show, Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie.