Roasted Eggplant Caponata Recipes

ROASTED EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Toss the eggplant, bell peppers and shallots with the olive oil, garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread the vegetables on the lined baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 45 minutes. Let cool.
• Transfer the vegetables to a medium bowl and stir in the parsley, capers, raisins, lemon zest, lemon juice and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the pine nuts.
• Serve the caponata with baguette slices.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Put a wide cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil to coat surface of pan. When oil is wavy, test by adding a cube of eggplant. It should begin to sizzle and brown immediately. Fill the pan with a single layer of eggplant cubes. Turn eggplant with a spatula or tongs and brown nicely on all sides. Lower heat as necessary to maintain an even temperature; if the pan is too hot, the eggplant will burn.
• Remove cooked eggplant to a plate and continue to fry remaining eggplant in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Season finished eggplant with salt and pepper. (Alternatively, roast the eggplant on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, lightly drizzled with oil, until cooked and nicely browned, about 20 minutes.)
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, season lightly with salt and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly colored, about 5 minutes. Stir in blanched celery, tomato paste, capers and olives. Add crushed red pepper, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar and wine. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Gently fold in cooked eggplant and simmer 2 or 3 minutes more. Taste cooking juices and adjust salt if necessary. Let mellow for 1 hour at room temperature (or make it a day in advance for fuller flavor). Sprinkle with parsley to serve. The caponata will keep for a week, refrigerated.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Peel and dice the eggplants, peel and slice the onion, peel and slice the garlic, slice the celery.
• In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with the salt. Transfer the eggplant to a colander to drain for 2 hours. In order to facilitate the draining, top the eggplant with a heavy weight, such as a dinner plate topped with full cans.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and celery and sauté for 5 minutes more, or until the garlic softens but does not brown. Add the anchovies and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the tomato paste and stir to thoroughly combine. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the paste turns a deep red, almost brown, and starts to stick to the pan. Add the vinegar and sugar and stir until the mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• In another large sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat until smoking. Add the eggplant and carefully toss it in the oil, letting it sear before stirring. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the eggplant is translucent and soft.
• Transfer the eggplant to the caponata mixture and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, until the flavors combine. Add the capers and their brine and stir to incorporate.
• Serve warm or at room temperature accompanied by toast points or crostini.

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.

ROASTED EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 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 sauté 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.

RUTH'S EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook eggplant, onion, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper, stirring frequently, until onion is slightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes, water, wine, and bay leaf. Simmer, stirring frequently, until eggplant is tender and mixture is thickened, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, capers, and vinegar. Let cool 30 minutes, then discard bay leaf. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• In a 5-quart Dutch oven or pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onions, raisins, pine nuts, garlic, and red-pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add tomato paste, cocoa powder, and 2 tablespoons sugar; cook, stirring, until tomato paste is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggplant, vinegar, and 2/3 cup water.
• Cover, and cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender and mixture is thick, 7 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and more sugar, as desired. Serve caponata warm or at room temperature.

EGGPLANT AND TOMATO CAPONATA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; saute eggplant, onion, and garlic until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, red wine, and capers and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Mix oregano, cinnamon, allspice, cocoa powder, sugar, and bay leaf into eggplant mixture; simmer until thickened, 30 minutes. Add a few tablespoons water if mixture becomes too thick. Remove bay leaf.

ROASTED GARLIC AND EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Cut 1/2-inch-thick slice off top of garlic, exposing cloves; discard top. Brush cut-side of garlic lightly with oil; wrap tightly in foil. Place on baking sheet. Pierce eggplant in several places with fork or sharp knife. Place on baking sheet with garlic. Bake 50 min. to 1 hour or until both are tender; cool slightly.
• Peel eggplant, then cut into small pieces; place in medium bowl. Mince 3 garlic cloves. Add to eggplant along with tomatoes, parsley, onions and vinegar; mix well. Refrigerate 2 hours. Meanwhile, refrigerate remaining garlic for another use.
• Sprinkle eggplant mixture with cheese just before serving. Serve as a dip with the crackers.