Rustic Caponata Recipes

CAPONATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, toss the eggplant generously with olive oil and salt, to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the eggplant is soft and mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve.
• Coat a wide deep pot with olive oil. Toss in the onion and crushed red pepper and season with salt, to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the fennel, celery and garlic and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the peppers and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the zucchini, season with salt, to taste, and cook until the zucchini and all the veggies are soft and aromatic and starting to come together as a stew, about 5 to 6 minutes. Toss in the eggplant, 1/2 cup of water and the tomato paste. Cook until the water has evaporated. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a small bowl and add it to the mixture. Stir in the raisins, capers, pine nuts and mint. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.
• Let cool and transfer the caponata to a serving bowl. Serve immediately or even better tomorrow or the next day.

EASY CAPONATA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add celery and cook uncovered until softened, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain.
• Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat; add onion and celery and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add eggplant, red bell peppers, and zucchini and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato puree, vinegar, and sugar. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add olives, raisins, pine nuts, and capers. Season with salt and pepper and cook until flavors are well combined, about 5 minutes.
• Remove skillet from heat; stir in chopped basil. Cool and serve at room temperature.

CLASSIC CAPONATA

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add eggplant, onion, and garlic cloves. sauté until eggplant is soft and brown, about 15 minutes. Add diced tomatoes with juice, then red wine vinegar and drained capers. Cover and simmer until eggplant and onion are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Season caponata to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in fresh basil. Transfer caponata to serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. (Caponata can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

RUSTIC CAPONATA

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
• In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil and onions together, slowly, until they begin to get tender, but do not take on any color (10 minutes).
• Add garlic and saute 5 minutes over medium heat.
• Add zucchini, eggplant and pepper. Season (1 tsp or so of each) with salt and black pepper. Add fresh herbs.
• Toss everything well with the oil, garlic and onions. The eggplant will absorb the oil quickly.
• Place, uncovered in the oven for 20 minutes.
• De-glaze the pan with the wine and broth. Stir in Sultanas, olives and capers and cook until most of the juices are gone and everything is tender (about 20 more minutes uncovered).
• Serve with chopped, fresh parsley and another drizzle of very good olive oil.

RUSTIC ITALIAN CAPONATA

Steps:

• Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil.
• When oil starts shimmering, add eggplant and pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until eggplant is softened and browned. Remove from heat; scrape eggplant into bowl. Set aside.
• Return skillet to heat. Add onion, celery and another pinch of salt. Sauté until onions are slightly softened and somewhat translucent.
• Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in tomatoes, vinegar and sugar.
• Return eggplant to skillet. Reduce heat and simmer on low, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes, adding reserved tomato liquid if needed to keep mixture from drying out.
• Remove from heat and fold in the pine nuts. Salt to taste.
• Tip: Most pine nuts are sold raw. For this recipe you'll want to toast them in a frying pan on low heat. Make sure to keep a close eye on them, stirring frequently to avoid burning.

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.