Recipe: Sicilian Caponata

SICILIAN CAPONATA

"Serve this classic Sicilian dish with water crackers or crispy bread, or toss it with pasta for a main course. Either way, make the caponata at least 2 hours before you use it. You'll need a full hour for the eggplant to drain before you can cook. This is a perfect dish for a large, deep, straight-sided saute pan so ingredients have plenty of room to mix and flavors can marry quickly. A stainless steel or anodized aluminum interior is ideal because it will not react with the vinegar and tomatoes. The burner should be as close to the size of the pan as possible for even heating."

3 1/2 cups diced unpeeled eggplant (1/4-inch dice)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup diced plum tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped pitted green olives
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped capers
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted lightly
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place eggplant in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Allow it to sit for 1 hour to drain.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot. Shake off as much of the salt from the eggplant as you can and add to the oil. Saute, stirring, for 5 minutes or until tender, and then transfer the eggplant to a bowl or platter and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan with the onion and cook for about 3 minutes.

Stir in celery and cook for 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, olives, vinegar, capers, pine nuts and sugar and simmer on low, covered and stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is warmed through and the celery is tender. Remove from the heat.

Add eggplant to the pan, stir in parsley, and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Cover and chill the caponata for at least 3 hours.

TO SERVE:
Allow the caponata to come to room temperature and serve with toasted bread or crackers.

Servings: 4
Source: The Cookware Cookbook: Great Recipes for Broiling, Steaming, Boiling, Poaching, Braising, Deglazing, Frying, Simmering, and Sauteing by Jamee Ruth