Canning: Garden Antipasto

1 1/2 lb. sweet peppers, stemmed, seeds & ribs removed, thickly sliced
1 lb. eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch batons
2 C. red wine vinegar, divided
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher or pickling salt
1 C. olive oil
3 large, or 6 small, cloves garlic
6 sprigs fresh thyme, or other fresh herb
1 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns

Prepare canner, jars and lids. In a medium stockpot, bring 1 C. vinegar + 1 C. water to a boil. Add eggplant and poach, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 2 – 3 minutes. Scoop eggplant out with a slotted spoon and remove to a clean bowl. Add sliced peppers to the stockpot. Add water to cover: bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until peppers are softened, about 2 – 3 minutes. Drain and remove peppers to the eggplant bowl. Add 2 small garlic cloves, 2 sprigs thyme and 1/2 tsp. peppercorns to each clean, hot pint jar. Pack in eggplant and peppers, squishing them in fairly tightly, to a generous 1/2-inch head space. Fill all pint jars with vegetables before adding brine. Bring remaining 1 C. vinegar and salt to a boil in the stockpot. Add olive oil and bring back to a boil. Ladle boiling brine over peppers & eggplant in the pint jars: remove any air bubbles with a chopstick or spatula, adjusting brine to a head space of 1/2-inch. Wipe rims thoroughly (ensure no olive oil remains on the rims), affix lids and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.