Mackerel Caponata Recipes

MACKEREL CAPONATA

Steps:

• Season mackerel to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add butter and when foaming add mackerel and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining olive oil, garlic and onion to pan and cook, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes or until just soft, then add passata, vinegar, raisins, capers, olives, bay leaves and sugar and cook for 5 minutes or until reduced by two-thirds. Add marjoram, celery and mackerel and cook for 1 minute to warm through and season to taste.
• Meanwhile, heat enough vegetable oil in a separate frying pan over medium-high heat until oil starts to shimmer. Cook eggplant, in batches, turning occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
• To serve, divide mackerel caponata between plates, top with eggplant, scatter with pine nuts, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve with beans to the side.

CAPONATA RECIPE | AUTHENTIC SICILIAN VERSION

Steps:

• cut the eggplats into small cubes
• clean the onion and slice it
• Cut the celery into cubes and cook them for 5 minutes
• Desalt the capers
• Toast the pine nuts
• in a bowl mix vinegar with sugar
• fry the eggplants for a few minutes
• In a large saucepan, sauté the onion until soft and golden
• add celery, capers, olives, pine nuts and tomato passata
• Stir, cover with the lid and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
• Finally add the sweet-sour sauce
• Turn off the heat and add the fried eggplants

CAPONATA

Steps:

• Roast the eggplant, allow to cool and chop coarsely.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet and add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook together for a minute, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant, and add the peppers and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, until just about tender, about 8 minutes. Add another tablespoon of oil and the eggplant, and stir together for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The eggplant will fall apart, which is fine. Season to taste.
• Add the tomatoes to the pan with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and they smell fragrant. Add the capers, olives, remaining sugar, and vinegar. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are thoroughly tender and the mixture is quite thick, sweet, and fragrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. If possible, cover and chill overnight. Serve at room temperature.