Caponata with Eggplant Relish Recipe

There are as numerous recipes for caponata as there are cooks, and there are two primary presentations-- sliced fine and utilized as a relish on bread or polenta, or chopped coarse and served practically like an Italian version of ratatouille.

The only evident constants in caponata are eggplants, onions, olive oil, vinegar, and some sort of tomato product, either tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes or both. Other typical components include pine nuts, raisins, capers, olives, celery, basil, bell peppers, garlic, parsley and oregano.

If you don't consume all your caponata at one sitting, it keeps well in the refrigerator for as much as 5 days, and is even much better on the 2nd or 3rd day, after the tastes have actually had a chance to blend.

Caponata with Eggplant Relish Recipe

Prep time: 1 hour, 30 minutesCook time: 15 minutesYield: Serves 8-10 as an appetizer.

Our variation of caponata is diced fine, like a relish. Serve it on toasted or grilled bread, or with pasta or polenta.

Ingredients

• 1 globe eggplant - about 1 lb, diced
• Salt
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 celery stalk, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4-6 plum tomatoes, carefully chopped
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives, carefully chopped
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 to 3 Tbsp little capers, drained
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 to 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup sliced basil

Method

Toss the diced eggplant with about 2 tablespoons salt and took into a large bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate that almost fits the bowl and weigh it down with a heavy can. Let this sit for 1 hour. Drain the eggplant, rinse with fresh water and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a big frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery, season with salt. Cook, stirring sometimes till the onion begins to soften - about 5 minutes. Add the garlic. Prepare 1-2 minutes more. Eliminate from the skillet and reserved.

Wipe the pan with a paper towel, turn the heat to high and include the continuing to be olive oil. Let this heat until the oil is nearly smoking. Add the eggplant and spread it out in as thin a layer as you can in the frying pan. Let this sizzle for 1-2 minutes before stirring, then let it sit for a complete minute prior to stirring again. Prepare like this for 5-6 minutes.

Add the onion-celery mixture, the tomatoes, olives, pine nuts, capers and red pepper flakes. Stir well. Include the vinegar, sugar and tomato paste and stir again. Cook, stirring sometimes till eggplant is extremely soft, about 8 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool to space temperature level. Mix in the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Caponata can be cooled, covered, up to 5 days.

Related Link

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