Traditional Almagro Pickled Eggplant

• 4 3/8 pounds eggplants Almagro, or other small eggplants
• 1 head garlic
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon cayenne sweet
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 2 1/8 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon roasted red pepper paste
• olive oil
• water

1. Remove part of the eggplant stems and half of the leaves and wash well. Boil whole for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove eggplants, reserving the cooking water, and immediately submerge in cold water.
2. Once cooled, make a vertical cut down the length of each eggplant.
3. Mash the garlic to form a paste and mix with the cumin, cayenne, salt, vinegar, and pepper paste. Mix until smooth.
4. Place the eggplant into an earthenware pot and add the paste. Cover the eggplants with water and drizzle with olive oil to taste. Refrigerate for 1 week, stirring from time to time.
5. Place the eggplants with their brine into jars. May be canned. No jar sterilization necessary.

eggplants, garlic, ground cumin, cayenne sweet, salt, apple cider vinegar, red pepper, olive oil, water

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Traditional-Almagro-Pickled-Eggplant-632083 (may not work)