Makdous

Ingredients

Aubergines

• 20baby aubergines, 6 to 8 cm long, firm and unblemished
• 2 tbspcoarse salt, for the pot
• coarse salt, for salting the cavities

Stuffing

• 250 gwalnuts, coarsely chopped, not ground
• 2red peppers, deseeded and very finely chopped, or 3 tbsp Aleppo pepper paste
• 1whole head of garlic, cloves crushed to a paste
• 2 tbspAleppo pepper flakes
• 2 tspcoarse salt
• 1 tbsppomegranate molasses, optional

To pack

• 600to 800 ml olive oil, enough to cover completely
• 3 tbspwhite wine vinegar or lemon juice, for the blanching water and the jar
• a sterilised wide-mouth glass jar, 2 litres

Directions

1. Trim the aubergine stems back to a short cap but leave the calyx on; it holds the fruit together.
2. Boil them in salted water with 1 tbsp of the vinegar for 5 to 7 minutes, until a skewer just enters with resistance. They must stay firm; overcooked aubergines collapse in the jar.
3. Drain and, while still warm, cut a deep lengthways slit in each without cutting through the ends.
4. Stand them slit-side down on a slanted tray or in a colander, weight them with a plate and a heavy tin, and leave 12 to 24 hours in a cool place. Every drop of water must come out; residual moisture is what spoils makdous.
5. Rub a good pinch of coarse salt into each cavity, then leave them draining another 2 hours.
6. Mix the walnuts, chopped pepper, garlic paste, Aleppo pepper, salt and pomegranate molasses into a thick, damp stuffing.
7. Pack a heaped teaspoon into each aubergine and press the slit closed so the filling is fully enclosed.
8. Pack them upright and tight into the sterilised jar, sprinkling in the remaining vinegar, and press down firmly to expel air.
9. Pour olive oil over until the aubergines are covered by at least 2 cm, working a clean skewer down the sides to release trapped bubbles, and top up the next day as the oil settles.
10. Keep in a cool dark place or the fridge for 2 weeks before eating, checking that the oil still covers everything, and serve at breakfast with bread, olives and tea.

Technique

• Makdous is a preserve made every autumn in Syria, when small aubergines flood the markets, and a household will put up several kilos to eat through the winter.
• Food safety matters here. Vegetables submerged in oil at room temperature are a recognised botulism risk, so the aubergines must be thoroughly drained and salted, the vinegar or lemon must be included, and the jar is safest stored in the refrigerator rather than a warm larder. Discard immediately if the oil clouds, bubbles or smells sour.
• Always keep everything under the oil and use a clean dry spoon. A single aubergine left exposed will mould and spoil the jar.

Substitutions

• No Aleppo pepper: 1 tbsp sweet paprika with 1 tsp chilli flakes and a squeeze of lemon approximates its fruity, mild heat.
• Walnuts are traditional and essential to the texture, but a third of them can be replaced with chopped almonds if walnuts are scarce.

Variations

• Makdous with a whole walnut half wedged into each aubergine, the Damascene look.
• Extra-hot makdous from Aleppo, with double the pepper paste.
• Makdous packed in olive oil with a few slices of lemon and a bay leaf, common in Homs.

History

A pillar of the mouneh preserving season; jars are opened through winter and eaten at breakfast with labneh.

Frequently asked questions

What is Makdous?

Makdous is a fermented & pickled from Lebanon: small aubergines stuffed with walnut and red pepper, preserved in olive oil. A pillar of the mouneh preserving season; jars are opened through winter and eaten at breakfast with labneh.

How long does Makdous take to make?

Makdous takes 45 min of preparation and 3 days curing plus 2 weeks maturing of cooking. The recipe makes 1 large jar, about 20 aubergines. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Makdous?

Yes, within limits. No Aleppo pepper: 1 tbsp sweet paprika with 1 tsp chilli flakes and a squeeze of lemon approximates its fruity, mild heat. Walnuts are traditional and essential to the texture, but a third of them can be replaced with chopped almonds if walnuts are scarce.

What is the most important thing to get right in Makdous?

Boil them in salted water with 1 tbsp of the vinegar for 5 to 7 minutes, until a skewer just enters with resistance. They must stay firm; overcooked aubergines collapse in the jar.