Caponata Italian Eggplant Relish Food

CAPONATA (ITALIAN EGGPLANT RELISH)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pine nuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven to toast for 3-4 minutes. Watch closely as they can burn quickly. Remove from oven and set aside. Place the cubed eggplant in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Let stand at least 1/2 hour. Rinse well under cold water, drain, and pat dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a deep heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook until tender, stirring as needed, until light golden brown. Remove the eggplant and set aside. Add the garlic and onions to the pan and cook until soft. Add the peppers, celery, tomatoes, and browned eggplant and let cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, uncovered. Mix the sugar and red wine vinegar together (the sugar may not fully dissolve). Add it to the vegetable mixture and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until thick. Stir in the capers, olives, and anchovies and let cook 3-5 more minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the basil, parsley, and toasted pine nuts. Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.

CAPONATA - SICILIAN EGGPLANT RELISH

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté eggplant cubes till soft and brown, about 10 minutes. Plate them out on a paper towel lined plate.
• In the same pan, discard excess oil leaving behind 2-3 Tbsp. Add onions and sauté till light brown in color. Add in garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes.
• Add in chopped bell peppers along with celery and cook for a couple of minutes. Add in salt and pepper. Add in tomatoes and mix everything well.
• Mix in olives, capers, raisins, red chili flakes, red wine vinegar and honey. Simmer for 10 minutes
• Add in chopped parsley along with fried eggplant cubes. Mix well and let everything cook for 5-6 minutes.
• Taste and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with parsley.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA (SICILIAN VERSION)

Steps:

• Toss eggplant with salt and place in a colander set over a bowl. Let sit, about 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is soft and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet. Add eggplant and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in celery mixture, tomatoes, olives, capers, tomato paste, and oregano. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until caponata is thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Season caponata with vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Cook 1 chopped onion in a skillet with 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 minutes. Add 1 each chopped celery stalk and eggplant; cook 4 minutes. Add 1 chopped red bell pepper and cook 3 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons golden raisins, some chopped oregano and 1/2 cup water; simmer 8 minutes. Add 1 cup halved grape tomatoes and 1 tablespoon each cider vinegar and capers; cook 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and top with torn basil.
• SERVES 6
• Calories: 138
• Total Fat: 9 grams
• Saturated Fat: 1 grams
• Protein: 2 grams
• Total carbohydrates: 14 grams
• Sugar: 7 grams
• Fiber: 4.5 grams
• Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
• Sodium: 199 milligrams

ROASTED EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
• Place the whole eggplant on the pan, prick with a fork in several places, and rub with olive oil. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft when pierced with a knife. Set aside to cool. Halve the eggplant, peel, and discard the skin. Place the eggplant, peppers, and olives in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until coarsely chopped. Pour into a mixing bowl.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the onion is lightly browned. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, and add to the eggplant mixture. Add the parsley, pine nuts, lemon juice, capers, tomato paste, vinegar, salt, and pepper and mix. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop. Taste for seasonings and serve at room temperature with toasted pita triangles.

CAPONATA WITH FENNEL, OLIVES, AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, bell peppers, fennel, and garlic; sauté until eggplant is tender, about 10 minutes. Add olives and raisins, then mix in tomato sauce and vinegar. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer until caponata is thick and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes longer. Mix in basil. Season caponata to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve at room temperature.

CAPONATA: ITALIAN EGGPLANT RELISH

Steps:

• Salt & Rinse Eggplant: Line a jellyroll pan with paper towels. Spread out eggplant cubes and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt. Cover with paper towels. Pace another baking tray on top and add a weight, such as heavy skillet. Let that all stand for ½ hour to an hour. (you can cut up the other veggies while you wait) Rinse the eggplant in a mesh colander. Line the same jellyroll pan with more paper towels. Transfer the rinsed eggplant to the tray and pat it dry with another layer of paper towels.
• Saute the Eggplant: Heat ¼ cup oil in a large skillet (cast iron is best) over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add half the eggplant in a single layer. Leave it undisturbed for two minutes so it browns a bit. Continue to cook, stirring often, for another 5 minutes, until eggplant is brown in spots and starting to soften. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined mesh colander. Add another ¼ cup olive oil to the skillet and repeat with the rest of the eggplant.
• Add another ¼ cup olive oil to the skillet. Add the onions, garlic and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until the onions are softened. Add the bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are softened. Add the tomato paste, olives, raisins capers, and 3 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes. Add the eggplant to the skillet. Whisk the sugar and vinegar together in a small bowl and pour into the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature. Caponata will keep for a week covered in the fridge and is best served at room temp after a day of letting the flavors meld.