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    Eggplant Caponata

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    Pixicook editorial team

    Eggplant Caponata is a traditional Sicilian dish, brimming with the flavors of fresh vegetables, tangy vinegar, and rich olives. This versatile relish can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or a tangy addition to meats and seafood.

    Ingredients for Eggplant Caponata

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    serves
    5 peoplechevron
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    Eggplant, cut into large dice

    each

    Substitute chevron-down

    Olive Oil

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    Garlic, sliced

    cloves

    Substitute chevron-down

    Celery Stalk, diced

    each

    Substitute chevron-down

    Onion, diced

    each

    Substitute chevron-down

    Bell Pepper, diced

    each

    Substitute chevron-down

    Greek Olives, chopped

    cups

    Substitute chevron-down

    Oregano, chopped

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    Chili Flakes

    pinches

    Substitute chevron-down

    Dry White Wine

    cups

    Substitute chevron-down

    Crushed San Marzano Tomatoes, crushed

    cups

    Substitute chevron-down

    Capers

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    Honey

    teaspoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    Red Wine Vinegar

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    Mint, chopped

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    How to Make Eggplant Caponata

    1. Prep

    Begin by preparing your vegetables. Cut the eggplant into large dice and season lightly with salt to help it release moisture. Slice the garlic, dice the onion, bell pepper, and chop the celery stalk. Chop the Greek olives, oregano, parsley, and mint. Set aside.

    2. Saute

    Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and allow it to warm up. Add the diced eggplant to the hot oil with a pinch of salt, and cook until it is browned and softened, stirring occasionally. This process will take about 7-10 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the pan and set aside.

    3. Add Aromatics

    In the same pan, add the garlic, diced onion, bell pepper, and chopped celery with a pinch of salt. Cook until the vegetables are very soft and lightly caramelized, which should take around 15 minutes. This slow cooking process develops the natural sweetness of the vegetables, enhancing the overall flavor of the dish. To the pan with the softened vegetables, add the chopped Greek olives, capers, chili flakes, and chopped oregano. Cook for another 2 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.

    4. Deglaze and Simmer

    Deglaze the pan with the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the wine almost completely, which concentrates the flavor and cooks off the alcohol, about 3-5 minutes. Return the browned eggplant to the pan, along with the crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Stir well and let simmer until the mixture thickens a bit, for approximately 10 minutes.

    5. Finishing Ingredients

    Stir in the red wine vinegar and honey, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. This combination of sweet and sour flavors is characteristic of a traditional caponata. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley and mint, adjusting the seasoning with salt as needed. The fresh herbs will add a burst of brightness and should be added at the end to preserve their flavors.

    Pitfalls and tips

    Resting

    Allow the caponata to rest for a few hours or overnight to let the flavors meld and develop into a more cohesive and rich dish.

    Prepping Eggplants

    Cut the eggplants into cubes and salt them liberally. Let them sit in a colander for about an hour to draw out the bitterness. Rinse the salt off and pat them dry before cooking.

    Serving

    Serve the caponata at room temperature to best appreciate the flavors, as an appetizer with crostini, a side dish, or a main course with grains.

    Balancing Acidity and Sweetness

    Perfectly balance the red wine vinegar and sugar, if using, to achieve the signature sweet and sour flavor profile of caponata.

    Selecting Eggplants

    Choose eggplants that are firm and heavy for their size. The skin should be smooth and shiny without any blemishes. Smaller eggplants tend to have fewer seeds and can be less bitter.


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