Eggplant caponata

Bysaffronandhoney

Somewhere between France and Italy, I came up with this version of an eggplant caponata, a kind of ratatouille with some great Italian flavor pang.

I love the echoes of sweet and sour notes and the fact that it is a country dish, full of comfort.

Enjoy it by itself or as a side, mixed into pasta or topping some crispy baguette – it’s as versatile as it is delicious. Hint: It tastes even better the next day.

Also, you can easily add a roasted bell pepper into the mix, I omitted it because I was making this for my dad, who is visiting, and he does not like peppers!

Eggplant caponata

You’ll need:

  • 1 eggplant, roasted and chopped (see below)
  • 1 lb ripe tomatoes (how great are they this summer?!), roughly chopped
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4 T pitted, chopped green olives
  • salt, pepper
  • 1/2 t granulated sugar
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 T sherry vinegar

1. Roast the eggplant, scored lightly with a knife, in the oven at 400F for about half an hour. You can do all of your chopping and olive pitting in the meantime.

2. Heat 1 T of olive oil in a skillet, add onion, cook for about five minutes, then add the garlic.

3. Add remaining olive oil, chopped eggplant, and peppers (if using), mix well, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. The eggplant will be really soft – that’s the way you want it.

4. Reduce heat slightly, add tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook for five minutes or so, until everything is fragrant and combined, stirring often.

5. Deglaze with the vinegar – getting any crunchy onion bits off of the bottom of the pan – add olives, and mix to combine. Lower heat and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the caponata is slightly thickened. Taste for seasoning and cool to room temperature before serving.

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19 Comments

  2. Sherry vinegar and not balsamic? Interesting. I am looking to get some mileage out of eggplant before its season closes, and I may look to your recipe! Thank you.
    Chris

    Reply