Eggplant Caviar for Winter
Description
A simple way to prepare ahead for storage. I don’t sterilize the caviar; I use the hot-fill method. It’s better to use small jars so that once opened, the caviar is eaten in one or two sittings.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients.
- 2
Step 2
Take a deep, roomy skillet or kazan. Dice the onion and sauté it in three tablespoons of oil over medium heat until semi-translucent.
- 3
Step 3
Add thinly sliced carrots and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes.
- 4
Step 4
Add sweet bell pepper cubes and fry for another 5 minutes, stirring. Heat below medium.
- 5
Step 5
Place the eggplant cut into small cubes. Fry until tender, stirring, and gradually add oil as needed.
- 6
Step 6
Make a well in the center of the skillet. Add the paprika and coarsely crushed coriander to it. Squeeze in the garlic. Mix the spices with the oil and warm for a couple of minutes without stirring them into the vegetables. Then mix everything together.
- 7
Step 7
Push the vegetables to the edges and place diced tomatoes in the center. Season with salt and pepper. I always salt a bit more heavily than I would for eating as is. Braise the tomatoes, stirring in the pan, until they start to release oil. Then mix everything together, reduce the heat a little more, and braise for 10 minutes, stirring. Do not let it burn.
- 8
Step 8
In the meantime, prepare the jars. They should be very hot and dry by the time the stewing is finished. For hot packing, it is easiest to sterilize the jars in the oven and remove them one at a time for filling. Boil the lids and keep them in boiling water.
- 9
Step 9
Carefully fill the hot jars one at a time with hot caviar. Use only dry towels and oven mitts so the jars don’t crack from water droplets. Caviar in a warmed jar starts to sizzle around the edges—wonderful. Shake the lids well to remove water and seal the jars quickly. I don’t turn the jars upside down or wrap the caviar. The jars keep perfectly at room temperature.
- 10
Step 10
Well, you can serve eggplant caviar with just about anything. It's especially delicious simply on toasted bread.