Stuffed aubergine pickle

Pickles are popular in Azerbaijan as an accompaniment to a main dish or as a starter, and are often served as one of a selection of appetizers.

Small aubergines (eggplants) produce the best results in this pickle.

Ingredients:
15 pieces small aubergines (eggplants), no more than 10 cm
2-3 chili pepper (optional)
10 pieces garlic
100 gr. coriander
70 gr. mint
50 gr. dill
50 gr. tarragon (optional)
50 gr. basil (optional)
150 g salt
400 ml grape vinegar

Wash the herbs and chop finely when they are dried. Finely chop the garlic and chili and add to the herbs. Add salt. If you don’t use chili, add pepper.

Top and tail and wash the aubergines (they have to be small). Slit them lengthways through the “stomach”. Salt the slit and set aside for 30 to 60 minutes to extract the bitterness. Rinse thoroughly. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the aubergines. If the aubergines are very small, then blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes. Blanch for longer if the aubergines are larger. The blanched aubergines should not be as firm as when fresh, but they should not be soft either.

Strain the aubergines through a colander. As soon as they have started to cool, put them on a clean, old tea towel (juice from the aubergines will stain the towel). Cover with another tea towel.

Put a heavy object on top of the aubergines and leave them for minimum 6 hours, better if you leave them overnight. (One method is to cover the aubergines with a chopping board and then place a saucepan of water on top of the board)