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Eggplant Caponata
Enjoy this versatile wonder as a salad, a side dish, a relish for grilled meats, or as an appetizer on sliced baguette. No matter what, it’ll play nicely with everyone else’s specialties.
This great recipe comes to us from Farmhouse Delivery!
This great recipe comes to us from Farmhouse Delivery!
Featured Seedlings
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, or 2 -3 small eggplants, unpeeled, cut into 2" cubes
- 4 Tbsp kosher salt
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying eggplant
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 c celery, cut into 2" pieces, inner leaves reserved and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound tomatoes, diced (juices reserved)
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- to taste salt and pepper
- 1/4 c pine nuts, toasted
- 1/3 c kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp capers, drained
- small handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
Step 1
Place eggplant cubes in a colander and salt with 4 Tbs kosher salt. Set aside in the sink to drain for 20-30 minutes. When eggplant has drained, rinse the salt off with cool water and spread on a kitchen towel to dry, patting the top dry.
Step 2
Heat 4 Tbs olive oil in a braising pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add onions and celery and saute for 10 minutes until onion begins to turn translucent. Add garlic and lower heat to medium and continue cooking until vegetables are soft and have taken on some color. Add chopped tomatoes and a pinch of red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Cook at a low simmer until tomatoes are a sauce, about 8-10 minutes. Turn heat to low to finish the dish.
Step 3
Heat an additional slick of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Fry eggplant in batches to avoid overcrowding, removing to a large bowl as it is cooked. You want the outside golden and crisp and the inside creamy. When all the eggplant is cooked and in the bowl, sprinkle with vinegar and season with a pinch of salt, Add tomato mixture, toasted pine nuts, olives, capers, basil, and reserved celery leaves.
Step 4
Give everything a gentle stir and serve at warm room temperature. Caponata keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week – bring to room temperature before serving.