Mammas Caponata Food

MAMMA'S CAPONATA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, saute eggplant in 1/4 cup oil until tender. Remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, saute onion and celery in remaining oil until tender. Stir in tomatoes and eggplant. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes., Add the olives, vinegar, sugar, capers, salt and pepper. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until thickened. Serve warm or at room temperature with baguettes.

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.

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

CAPONATA PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion for 8-10 mins until starting to caramelise (or for longer if you have time - the sweeter the better). Add the garlic for the final 2 mins of cooking time.
• Tip in the mixed veg, tomatoes, capers and raisins. Season well and simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins, or until you have a rich sauce.
• Meanwhile, boil the kettle. Pour the kettleful of water into a large pan with a little salt and bring back to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender with a little bite, then drain, reserving some of the pasta water. Tip the pasta into the sauce, adding a splash of pasta water if it needs loosening. Scatter with the basil leaves and parmesan, if you like, and serve straight from the pan

MUSHROOM CAPONATA

Steps:

• In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, saute green peppers and onion in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil for 10 minutes or until golden brown., Add half the mushrooms and remaining butter and oil; saute until tender. Remove onion mixture and set aside. Saute remaining mushrooms until tender. Return all to the pan. Cover and simmer over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. , Add the olives, vinegar, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 10 minutes., Serve warm or at room temperature with bagel chips or baguette slices.

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.

MAMA ZUQUINIS LAMB LASAGNA

Steps:

• SAUCE: In a 2-quart heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat just until it begins to ripple, about 2 minutes. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until the onions are translucent.
• Stir in the basil, tomatoes, salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce just coats the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. This makes about 2 cups sauce.
• EGGPLANT: Grill the eggplant: Brush the eggplant slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season with one-fourth teaspoon salt and the pepper. Grill the eggplant on both sides to mark, then cool completely. Dice the eggplant into one-half-inch pieces.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until the oil begins to ripple. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent. Stir in the herbs and tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
• Fold in the eggplant along with the crushed red pepper, roasted red pepper, red wine vinegar and remaining teaspoon salt. Remove from heat, taste, and adjust seasonings and flavoring as desired.
• LAMB: Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to ripple. Stir in the lamb and brown, stirring frequently. Add the wine and scrape any flavoring from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine is reduced by half.
• Stir in the demi-glace and reduce the total liquid by one-third. Stir in the tomato sauce, fresh mint and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. This makes a generous 2 cups sauce.
• LASAGNA: Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the tomatoes lengthwise into slices approximately one-fourth-inch thick and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle over 2 tablespoons oil, and season with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes until lightly caramelized on top but still somewhat soft in the center, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread the pasta on a baking sheet to cool slightly. The pasta can be made up to this point, and all of the components refrigerated for up to 2 days before completing the dish.
• ASSEMBLY: In separate saute pans, reheat Eggplant Caponata and the Lamb Sauce to just under boiling then simmer until ready to use.
• Heat the remaining one-fourth cup oil in a medium heavy-bottom pot over medium-low heat until it begins to ripple. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the cooked pasta, then stir in 1½ cups lamb sauce. Gently stir in the Eggplant Caponata. Stir in the grated Grana Padano and vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Spoon the pasta into large serving bowls, and spoon over the remaining lamb sauce. Sprinkle the goat cheese crumbles over the servings then sprinkle over the chopped parsley. Fan roasted tomato slices over each to garnish, and serve immediately.