Dried Tomato Caponata Food

CAPONATA

Steps:

• Peel eggplants, leaving some strips of peel, then cut into 1-inch cubes and spread on half of a kitchen towel. Sprinkle eggplant with salt, then cover with other half of towel and weight with a baking sheet topped with 2 or 3 large cans for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1/2 cup oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onion, stirring, until pale golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add celery and cook, stirring, until onion and celery are deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add olives, capers, and 2 tablespoons sugar and cook, stirring, 2 minutes, then stir in vinegar and tomatoes.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. If sauce is very acidic, add 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (to taste). Transfer to a bowl and keep warm, covered.
• Rinse eggplant in a colander under running water, then squeeze dry in small handfuls.
• Heat remaining cup oil in cleaned skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry eggplant in 2 batches, turning occasionally with tongs, until tender and browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer as cooked to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a large shallow serving dish in an even layer. Spoon sauce on top, spreading evenly, and let stand, covered with a kitchen towel, at room temperature, at least 8 hours (for flavors to develop). Stir before serving.

DRIED TOMATO CAPONATA

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• On a baking sheet, toss eggplant and garlic cloves with oil and salt and broil for about 4 minutes.
• Remove garlic and set aside to cool.
• Toss and stir eggplant, and continue to cook an additional 4 minutes until browned and tender.
• Transfer eggplant to a plate and let cool.
• Meanwhile, chop oven-dried tomatoes coarsely and place in a medium bowl along with the pine nuts, parsley, celery, capers, raisins, olives, thyme, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, red pepper flakes if using.
• Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Simply toss for a loose mixture, or mix well to bind the mixture together.
• Serve spread on crusty bread Oven-Dried Tomatoes.
• Preheat oven to 200F Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise, remove seeds.
• Slice off visible stems if desired.
• On a baking sheet, toss tomatoes with oil and salt and arrange cut sides up.
• Place in the oven for 4-5 hours, or until visible moisture has evaporated and tomatoes are shriveled but still soft and pliable.
• Let cool and store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

GREEK CAPONATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pour the canned tomatoes into a 3 1/2-quart baking dish and spread to cover the bottom. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (excluding the bread). Toss to coat. Pour the vegetables over the canned tomatoes in an even layer. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the edges of the vegetables are golden, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Serve alone as a side, or over toasted sourdough bread for a main dish.

GREEK CAPONATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pour the canned tomatoes into a 3 1/2-quart baking dish and spread to cover the bottom. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (excluding the bread). Toss to coat. Pour the vegetables over the canned tomatoes in an even layer.
• Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the edges of the vegetables are golden, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Serve alone as a side, or over toasted sourdough bread for a main dish.

ARTICHOKE CAPONATA (CAPUNATA 'I CACUOCCIULI)

Steps:

• Make tomato sauce:
• Crush tomatoes in a bowl with your hand. Cook garlic in oil in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan over low heat, turning occasionally, until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Discard garlic. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer vigorously, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced to a thick pulp, about 20 minutes.
• Prepare vegetables:
• Smash olives with a meat pounder or flat side of a large knife. Remove pits. Soak olives 30 minutes in cold water, changing water every 10 minutes. Drain. Juice 2 lemons into a large bowl half filled with cold water and add lemon halves. Working with 1 artichoke at a time and running knife through remaining lemon before each cut, trim about ‚ inch from tops and cut off stems. Pull off tough outer leaves and quarter artichokes lengthwise. Put them in lemon water as trimmed.
• Drain artichokes well and pat dry. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over moderately high heat, then sauté artichokes, stirring, 2 minutes. Add salt to taste and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. While artichokes cook, blanch celery in boiling water 2 minutes and transfer with tongs to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Thinly slice.
• Add celery, olives, and capers to artichokes. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Stir in vinegar and cook 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 5 minutes. Serve at room temperature with a few grindings of black pepper.