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Caponata

Author: melinmac

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds Japanese eggplant (about 8 or 9)
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 1/2 t salt (divided - 1 t and 1/2 t)
  • 1 pound tomatoes
  • 1 t sugar
  • 3 T capers
  • 3 T green olives (about 15)
  • 3 T balsamic
  • 1/4 cup balsamic glaze (or to taste)

Instructions

  • Prep the veg - slice the stem off each eggplant and cut into bite-sized pieces. Slice the celery into a small dice. Chop the onion. Mince the garlic. Chop the peppers, tomatoes, and olives.
  • Sauté the onion, celery, peppers, and eggplant - Heat olive oil in a large, heavy- bottomed pan, then sauté the onion and celery until the onions begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook until it's aromatic, about one minute. Then add the chopped peppers and eggplant, and a generous t of salt. Cook until all of the vegetables are beginning to soften and break down, about 20 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, capers and olives - Add the tomatoes to the pan, along with 1/2 t salt and the sugar. Continue cooking until the tomatoes have cooked down and the rest of the dish is beginning to meld, another 8-10 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium and add the capers, olives, and balsamic. Cook for until the eggplant is completely cooked down, 30-40 minutes. You don't want a hint of texture in the eggplant - that's what the celery is for!
  • Finish - Once the vegetables have broken down and there's not much liquid left in the pan, give it a taste. I like to add a good glug of balsamic glaze at this point - up to 1/4 cup. You may want to add salt and pepper as well.