Eggplant and Zucchini Sauté Canned for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make eggplant-and-zucchini sauté for the winter? Gather all your ingredients. Rinse the zucchini and eggplant and trim off the stem ends. Peel and rinse the onion and carrot. Rinse the bell pepper, cut out the stem, and remove the seeds and ribs.

2. Step 2:

   

   You can use store-bought tomato sauce or make your own. To make it, take a few tomatoes (I used four medium ones), score a shallow X in the skin of each, and cover with boiling water for a couple of minutes. Then plunge them into cold water: the skins will slip right off thanks to the temperature shock. Purée the peeled tomatoes in a blender or food mill. The sauce is ready.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cut the onion into half-moons and cut the carrot into large matchsticks.

4. Step 4:

   

   Halve the zucchini lengthwise and slice it into half-moons. Which zucchini work best? Choose young ones with tender skin. Wash and peel them; you don't have to remove a very thin skin. If you're using more mature zucchini, cut away the tough peel and scoop out the seedy center.

5. Step 5:

   

   Chop the eggplant the same way. How do you draw out the bitterness? Salt the chopped eggplant and let it sit for about 10 minutes, until it releases its juices. Drain off the liquid, rinse the eggplant, and get cooking. Note that you don't always need this step: young eggplant and certain varieties aren't bitter to begin with.

6. Step 6:

   

   Cut the bell pepper into half-moons.

7. Step 7:

   

   Pour the vegetable oil into a skillet and heat it, then add all the vegetables, stir, and cook over medium heat for about fifteen minutes.

8. Step 8:

   

   Now stir in the tomato sauce, minced garlic, salt, and sugar. Cover the pan and let the sauté simmer for half an hour, stirring now and then. Stir in the vinegar at the very end.

9. Step 9:

   

   Wash your jars well and sterilize them however you like. I usually use the oven: set the jars and lids in a cold oven, turn it to 350°F (180°C), and set a timer for 20 minutes. Fill the sterilized jars with the hot sauté and seal with sterilized lids. This amount made one 1-quart (1-liter) jar plus one small jar for me.

10. Step 10:

    

    Turn the jars upside down, cover them with a warm towel, and let them cool completely. This checks the seals and gives the lids a little extra sterilizing. Then store the jars somewhere cool, such as a cellar or the refrigerator. Your eggplant-and-zucchini sauté is ready for winter. Enjoy, and happy canning!