Italian | Caponata

Posted on September 27, 2011

This dish is super flavorful. We used it with grilled shrimp and then grilled chicken. Caponata is used as a side dish or relish with grilled meats, poultry, or fish. This caponata can be prepared several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

3 Italian eggplants

kosher sea salt

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, 2 and 2

1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice

3/4 cup Mediterranean-style green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup capers, rinsed

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 28 ounces can diced tomatoes, in juice (Pomi)

1/4 cup currants or golden raisins

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted

1/2 cup mince flat-leafed parsley, divided 1/4 and 1/4

kosher sea salt, to taste

freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

Method

Cut the eggplants into 1/2-inch cubes. Place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt. Let stand and drain for 30 minutes. Rinse the eggplant and dry with paper towels.

In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the eggplant and saute, stirring frequently for 3 to 4 minutes. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the eggplant is very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove eggplant from the pan, set aside and rinse the pan.

In the same saute pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper an cook until soft ant lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the olives, capers, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, tomatoes and currants and cook until the liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the cooked eggplant, pumpkins seeds and 1/2 the minced parsley and stir to combine. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Garnish with the remaining parsley.

 

(Ref. Professional Culinary Institute's "Caponata" recipe, "Cal-Mediterranean" class.)