Cooking with "Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables," by Joshua McFadden

[BeeZee]

Looks perfect to me, putting it in my list of eggplant recipes!

[Smithy]

I decided to try some of my precious remaining Asian eggplants in his recipe for Preserved Eggplant. It's an easy recipe: peel the eggplant to the degree you can be bothered; slice; toss with salt; allow to drain; press to drain more; press to drain even more. (His steps are more elaborate, but this is the gist.) Eventually, blot the eggplant and toss with red wine vinegar, then load all into sterilized jars with smashed garlic, enough olive oil to cover, and a sprig of rosemary if you have it. Cap. Stick in the refrigerator. Wait at least a week to try it, but use it all within a month.

 

 

I worry a little bit about having raw garlic in that anaerobic environment. Sure, there's vinegar. Sure, the garlic was peeled shortly before loading into the jar. Still. Is botulism likely under these circumstances and timelines?

 

I remember having the same misgivings about a recipe from @FoodMan for Stuffed Chiles in Oil. I made the recipe, kept the chiles around, ate some, and eventually threw them away because I was afraid of poisoning myself or my darling. Nobody got sick, and I had been assured that it wouldn't happen, but my internal Food Police took away all the fun.

[blue_dolphin]

18 minutes ago, Smithy said:

I worry a little bit about having raw garlic in that anaerobic environment. Sure, there's vinegar. Sure, the garlic was peeled shortly before loading into the jar. Still. Is botulism likely under these circumstances and timelines?

 

I suspect you’re OK.  With 1 lb of eggplant that’s had most of the moisture pressed out, plus 1/2 cup of vinegar, it should be acidic enough to be very inhospitable to Clostridium botulinum, especially at refrigerator temps. 
 

I know that C. botulinum can multiply at low temperatures but from what I’ve read, it’s primarily the types found in fish and seafood that manage to grow at low temps and the soil types don’t do so well. 
 

But you know your own risk tolerance and there’s no reason to eat anything that feels risky to you. When in doubt….

[Smithy]

I'm embarrassed to say I forgot all about the eggplant preserves discussed above until I discovered them hiding in the back of the refrigerator! The jar is still unopened from when I made that batch. Is there any reason to fear trying them now, nearly 3 months after making that batch when McFadden says "up to 1 month"? 

[Okanagancook]

My moto always is “when in doubt, throw it out”

[blue_dolphin]

16 hours ago, Smithy said:

Is there any reason to fear trying them now, nearly 3 months after making that batch when McFadden says "up to 1 month"? 

I’d probably give it a taste out of curiosity but that’s me and based on your previous post, you were already worried as soon as you made it so I’d say yes, there is a reason to fear it. 

[Smithy]

16 hours ago, Smithy said:

I'm embarrassed to say I forgot all about the eggplant preserves discussed above until I discovered them hiding in the back of the refrigerator! The jar is still unopened from when I made that batch. Is there any reason to fear trying them now, nearly 3 months after making that batch when McFadden says "up to 1 month"? 

 

2 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

My moto always is “when in doubt, throw it out”

 

18 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

I’d probably give it a taste out of curiosity but that’s me and based on your previous post, you were already worried as soon as you made it so I’d say yes, there is a reason to fear it. 

 

Thanks, both of you. I made a command decision before checking back here, and have taken a taste. The pickles were well covered and there's no sign of spoilage. I can't actually say I like the eggplant anyway (too much vinegar burn) but I'm giving it the ol' college try. 

[blue_dolphin]

13 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

 

 

Thanks, both of you. I made a command decision before checking back here, and have taken a taste. The pickles were well covered and there's no sign of spoilage. I can't actually say I like the eggplant anyway (too much vinegar burn) but I'm giving it the ol' college try. 

I probably should have clarified that my reason for taking a little taste wasn’t that I could detect spoilage but that I could see if I liked it enough to make again!

[Smithy]

13 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

I probably should have clarified that my reason for taking a little taste wasn’t that I could detect spoilage but that I could see if I liked it enough to make again!

 

LOL that's a different picture altogether! Thanks for the clarificaiton. 😀 

 

You've made these preserves before, haven't you? I'm not crazy about the flavor. Either the wrong vinegar, or maybe there's a way to temper the vinegar in the final use?

[blue_dolphin]

10 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

LOL that's a different picture altogether! Thanks for the clarificaiton. 😀 

 

You've made these preserves before, haven't you? I'm not crazy about the flavor. Either the wrong vinegar, or maybe there's a way to temper the vinegar in the final use?

I quite like the idea of an eggplant preserve with a caponata vibe but if I made this one, I’ve forgotten!  
Eat Your Books recently reminded me, via their CookShelf app, that I’ve made 154 recipes from this book, but I haven’t tagged this one.  

[Smithy]

2 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

I quite like the idea of an eggplant preserve with a caponata vibe but if I made this one, I’ve forgotten!  
Eat Your Books recently reminded me, via their CookShelf app, that I’ve made 154 recipes from this book, but I haven’t tagged this one.  

 

I'm not getting any caponata vibe from this; it's very vinegary sour without any of the sweet or, for that matter, detectable salt although I know there's a lot in it. I suppose you could add sweetness via other ingredients. Interestingly, when I tasted the olive oil film at the top I could taste garlic. The eggplant doesn't seem to have picked up any garlic flavor, though.

[Smithy]

2 hours ago, Smithy said:

 

I'm not getting any caponata vibe from this; it's very vinegary sour without any of the sweet or, for that matter, detectable salt although I know there's a lot in it. I suppose you could add sweetness via other ingredients. Interestingly, when I tasted the olive oil film at the top I could taste garlic. The eggplant doesn't seem to have picked up any garlic flavor, though.

 

I just visited the book, looking for ways to use these. The salsa verde has promise, and possibly the pasta usage. So all isn't lost...but no, I doubt I'll make this again. I can think of better things to do with good eggplant.