Recipe: Caponata (canning recipe)

Not just any recipe for caponata is safe to can. Here is a safe recipe:

CAPONATA

"Caponata is a Sicilian dish served as a salad, side dish or relish. We also like it as an appetizer spread on toasted baguette slices."

1 small eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch (5 mm) cubes
1 1/2 tbsp pickling salt (20 mL)
2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, diced
1 cup diced zucchini (250 mL)
1/2 chopped onion (125 mL)
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chopped stuffed olives (50 mL)
1 tbsp capers, rinsed (15 mL)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fresh thyme (5 mL) or 1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried
1/4 tsp each: salt and freshly ground pepper (1 mL)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar (75 mL)
2 tsp granulated sugar (10 mL)
2 tsp olive oil (10 mL)
2 tbsp tomato paste (25 mL)

(Read Step-by-Step Guide (below) before proceeding with recipe.)

Place eggplant in a non-reactive bowl. Sprinkle with salt and stir well. Let stand for 2 hours. Drain eggp1ant in a sieve and rinse twice. draining thoroughly; press out excess moisture.

Place eggplant, tomatoes, red pepper, zucchini, onion, garlic, olives, capers, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper in a large roasting pan.

Heat vinegar, sugar, and oil in a microwavable container until hot, about 1 minute, stir into vegetables.

Bake in a 350 degree F (18OC) oven for about 1 1/2 hours (1 hour for a convection oven), or until vegetables are softened and liquid has evaporated, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven, discard bay leaf and stir in tomato paste.

Remove hot jars from canner and spoon relish into jars to within1/2 inch (1 cm) of rim (headspace).

Process 15 minutes for half-pint (250 mL) jars and 20 minutes for pint (500 mL) jars as directed

Makes 5 Cups (1.25 L)

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

20 MINUTES BEFORE PROCESSING:
Place jars in canner and add hot water. Cover canner and begin heating over medium heat. Keep jars hot until you are ready to fill them. If the recipe requires a preparation and cooking time longer than 20 minutes, begin preparation of the ingredients first. Then begin heating the water and jars in the canner while the prepared food is cooking. If the ingredients require a shorter preparation and cooking time, begin heating the canner before you start your recipe.

FIVE MINUTES BEFORE PROCESSING:
Place lids in hot water and keep lids hot until you are ready to use them. Do not heat screw bands.

FILLING CANNING JARS:
Remove jars from canner and ladle food into hot jars to within 1/2 inch of top rim. Remove trapped air bubbles and re-adjust headspace to desired level by adding more hot food and/or liquid. Wipe rim and side of jars to ensure a good seal. Lift lid from hot water and center on jar. Apply screw band until fingertip tight.

PROCESSING CANNING JARS:
Place jars in canner and adjust water level to cover jars by 1 inch. Cover canner and place over high heat. Once a full boil is reached, begin counting the processing time specified in recipe (a full boil must be maintained for the entire time required). At end of processing time, turn heat off, remove canner lid and leave jars in canner for five minutes. Then lift jars out and place on heat-safe work surface. Do not touch seals or dry jars. Let cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check jar seals (sealed lids turn downward) and remove screw bands.

STORING PRESERVED FOOD:
Label jars with contents and date and store in a cool, dark place. Any jars that do not seal within 24 hours must be refrigerated or reprocessed immediately using new lids.

Source: The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard