Caponata

With a Middle Eastern Twist

by LEON BOUTEILLER

This time of year I take advantage of produce found in local gardens. There is a bounty of squashes and beans; tomatoes by the bushel, root vegetables, corn, cabbages, kale and so on. One of the nightshade varieties is eggplant; versatile, closely related to the tomato, potato and chili pepper. Eggplant is of the Old World and others are New World in origin.

Botanically the fruit of the eggplant is a berry. The mild flesh is edible, also the skin and seeds. The fruit is nearly always cooked to be eaten. Not a nutritional powerhouse but, with its spongy quality, it readily absorbs oils and flavors and has many culinary uses. Eggplant, most often used as a base for dishes, adds bulk and volume. It is used often in vegetarian meals. One of my favorite plates is eggplant parmesan. Many varieties can be found at market but the plump purple ones are most common and generally a good size.

I have a friend who, around the holidays, makes a batch of caponata to give to friends. I have been lucky enough to be on the receiving end. For inspiration I want to give the basic recipe a twist, a Middle Eastern/North African influence. An Indian inflection would be possible but I don’t want to go to curries; I kept it closer to its familiar Sicilian origin.

CAPONATA with MIDDLE EASTERN TWIST
Makes about two quarts

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant (1 ½ to 2 pounds)
1 cup diced Spanish onion
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups ½ inch diced red bell pepper
3 or 4 large tomatoes chopped, or a 15 ounce can of peeled tomatoes in purée, chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed and minced
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup pitted green or black olives, chopped
½ cup raisins or currants
3 tablespoons capers, drained
½ cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the eggplant into ½ inch cubes leaving the skin on which helps to hold the eggplant together and not turn into mush
Place the eggplant in a colander and toss with a tablespoon of salt to remove excess moisture. Let it rest for about an hour and then pat dry with paper towels
Heat the olive oil on medium high heat in a Dutch oven or other good sized braising pan and sauté the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic for a few minutes until beginning to soften.
Remove the vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside while you sauté the eggplant. You can add another tablespoon of olive oil if you feel that there isn’t enough
After the eggplant has begun to soften, add the the cooked vegetables back into the pan and stir in the spices.
Then add in the tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, capers, raisins, vinegar and sugar
Bring the whole thing to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes
Stir in the parsley and check for seasoning and adjust the salt if needed. You may well not need any salt because of the salting process of the eggplant
Caponata will keep for a week if kept covered and properly refrigerated

This recipe can be used as a condiment or a side dish for fish and poultry. Use as bruschetta with some salty cheese like feta; it can be considered a sort of pickle. Warm or cold it’s a tasty way to prepare eggplant.

Enjoy!