Marinated Garden

Ingredients

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  eggplant – sliced about 1/2 inch thick. Enough slices to cover a 12×18 cutting board twice. I have a variety of eggplants – get the ones that look prettiest
  
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  sliced tomatos – I have green zebra, heatwave, sweet tangerine and black krim – again – use what you like and what looks best
  
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  thinly sliced sweet onion
  
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  1 whole head garlic
  
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  thinly sliced chilis – I used Mucho nacho – not so hot – and cowhorn – super hot
  
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  chopped herbs – I used oregano and pineapple mint, but thyme, basil, lemon verbena, chives, marjoram would all be good
  
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  extra virgin olive oil
  
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  red wine vinegar
  
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  salt and pepper
  
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  mason jars and a grill
  

Directions

1. Heat the grill to medium high – or if you are grill challenged you can use a griddle pan. Slice the eggplants – I did it one cutting board load at a time. Sprinkle one side with salt, flip them, sprinkle the other side with salt. Flip them back and drizzle with olive oil, flip back and get the other side with olive oil. Cut the top off the garlic so you can see the tops of the cloves, drizzle with olive oil and wrap loosley in heavy foil.
2. Put the garlic on the top rack or on indirect heat on the grill. Or in the oven if you are grill-less. Grill the eggplants until they have good grill marks and are softened but not cooked all they way through – you want them to maintain some texture. I grilled maybe 4-5 minutes per side but it will depend on your heat. Take them in and pile them on a plate while you slice, salt, oil, and grill you second load.
3. After the second batch of eggplant is done the garlic will be too. Time to pack the jars. I use wide mouth mason jars but whatever works for you … Put a layer of a couple / three eggplant in the bottom of the jar. Layer in tomato, onion, some garlic. some sliced peppers. Grind some pepper and add a pinch of chopped herbs. Drizzle in oil and vinegar – I do this simultaneously so the amounts are fairly equal. Add another layer of each, and now you want to press the veggies in – you can do this with a spoon (the ladylike/gentlemanly way) or your clean hands (the Abbie way) Layer and squish until the jar is full. I lay a big slice of eggplant on top, give it one last glug of olive oil, and screw the top on.
4. Put the jar in the fridge at least overnight before you head off to your picnic. I am guessing they COULD last a couple weeks in the fridge, but they won’t, you will eat them way before that. Pack your basket with veggies, some good rustic bread, some slicing cheese, and something cold and pink (Tavel – yum) and off you go!