Looking for a nice side of pickled goodies ?? try these delish stuffed mini peppers with Sicilian eggplants 🙂
Start with having the peppers slit open and gently cleaned of seeds and tiny ribs , peeled eggplant and diced fairly small ( big ball-like Sicilian are best but also Fairytale types will do ) and make sure you have some pickling spice mix for the brine .
For about 20 mini peppers make a brine boiling in a pot about 2 tbsp of salt ( i used pink Himalayan but kosher or pickling salt ok ) , 6 tbsp sugar , 2 tbsp pickling spice , 2-3 bay leaves , 1 tsp chili flakes and 1/2 cup sunflower or vegetable oil ; boil only until salt and sugar are melted . Set aside to cool .
In a skillet add about 2 tbsp of olive oil , 2-3 sliced garlic cloves , add the diced eggplant and sprinkle a pinch of s/p ; sautee on medium until eggplant softens up , add 1-2 tbsp chopped fresh dill and 1 tbsp of chopped Calabrian hot peppers ; mix and let cool for a bit .
In the dish you choose for pickling add first some dill stems or flowers if you have , a few garlic cloves and then stuff the little peppers with the eggplant mixture and lay them in nicely ; pour the brine over them , let it all cool off completely before storing in the fridge .
Best pairing with grilled or roast meat ; yum-yum 🙂