Lucias Christmas Caponata Food

PEPPER CAPONATA

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the broiler.
• Put the red peppers on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little oil and rub to coat the peppers lightly; season with salt and black pepper. Broil skin-side up until blackened. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let steam until cool, at least 15 minutes. Discard the skins and cut into chunks.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat; add the peppers, raisins, capers and vinegar and toss to combine. Season with salt and black pepper. Toss with the arugula and serve.

FISH WITH SWEET-AND-SOUR CAPONATA

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and almost tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the eggplant to a large plate. Add 1 more tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the celery and red onion and season with salt and pepper; cook until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, capers, 1/4 cup vinegar, the honey and 3/4 cup water. Stir in the eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender and the mixture thickens, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the fish dry, season with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the fish and cook until it is just opaque and flakes easily, 2 to 3 more minutes.
• Toss the parsley and remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon vinegar in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Divide the caponata among shallow bowls and top each serving with a fish fillet. Top with the parsley and serve with the baguette slices.

CALIFORNIA CAPONATA

Steps:

• For the salsa verde: Combine the garlic, capers, anchovies, avocado oil and some sea salt in a mortar and pestle. Grind to a paste; then add the parsley, basil, olive oil, pepper flakes and some black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside.
• For the caponata: Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant, zucchini, poblano, tomatoes and onion. Sprinkle with sea salt and saute until the vegetables have softened and begun to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat and mix in the honey and vinegar, and the salsa verde. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CIABATTA PIZZA WITH SQUASH CAPONATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, onions, garlic, chile, celery, cubanelle pepper, red bell pepper, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook about 10 to 12 minutes to soften vegetables. Add in the olives, raisins, and capers once the veggies start to give off their juice. Add the vinegar, then tomato sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in the parsley and basil to finish.
• Arrange bread on a large baking sheet and top with an even, thick layer of caponata. Then top that with an even layer of cheese and bake for 5 minutes to brown and melt the cheese. Cut each 1/2 loaf into 3 large squares of bread pizza.

CAPONATA PANINI

Steps:

• Preheat a panini grill.
• Using a grapefruit spoon or fingers, scoop out a 1-inch wide trough along the cut sides of the baguettes. Place 2 half-slices of the provolone cheese on each bottom half of the baguettes. Spoon 1/3 cup of the caponata on top of the cheese. Place the top halves on the baguettes and grill the panini until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and eggplant and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, raisins, and oregano to the pan. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, capers, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Season, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if needed.