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Ask anyone in Sicily to describe their favorite dish, the answer is almost always - Caponata. This simple eggplant dish is a Sicilian staple that is nutrient-packed, flavorful and versatile. And if that weren't reason enough, this dish is best served at room temperature, a time saving bonus! This is perfect to make on a Sunday, then simply remove from the fridge an hour before serving on a weeknight and it's good to go. Or use it to make bruschetta or serve as a flavorful vegetable accompaniment for grilled meats, fish or roasted chicken.
Ingredients
Ingredients
2 medium eggplant - graffiti eggplant are ideal, but any medium sized eggplant will work
Kosher salt
3tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium celery stalk, diced
1 medium red pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, in sauce
2tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
3tbsp coarsely chopped Castelvetrano olives (or substitute with any other green olive such as California Sevillano or Cerignola green to maintain the mild, buttery taste)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Sea Salt and Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
Preparation
Roast the Eggplant
Roast the Eggplant
Cut eggplant into cubes about 1 inch square
Toss in 1tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt
Roast in preheated oven at 425°F until softened, 35 - 40 minutes, give the eggplant a stir half way through the cook time
Sauté Vegetables and add Eggplant
Sauté Vegetables and add Eggplant
Heat a 10 inch skillet over medium heat and add 1tbsp olive oil
Add onion, carrots, red peppers and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, approximately 7 minutes
Add 1tbsp olive oil and the roasted eggplant and stir to combine, cook for another 5 minutes
Add Tomatoes
Add Tomatoes
Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until aromatic
Stir in tomatoes and their juice
Add a pinch of salt
Cook for 10 minutes, until tomatoes soften and flavors begin to meld
Add capers, olives and vinegar, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper
Serve and Enjoy!
Serve and Enjoy!
Caponata is a versatile dish that can be served at room temperature and will store in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container for 3 days. This is a perfect dish to have on hand since there is no need to reheat.
The savory sweet dish flavors pair well with grilled meats, fish or seafood. Serve with pasta or as an appetizer over toasted French bread with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper for a luxurious twist on bruschetta.
Nutrition Corner
Nutrition Corner
Eggplant are low in calories and fat and rich in fiber which aides digestion and promotes the feeling of fullness, vitamins and minerals. Of note, eggplant is a good source of antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins which help protect cells from oxidative damage. Nasunin, another antioxidant found in eggplant peel, may help protect bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) from damage supporting bone health by reducing the risk of osteoporosis (brittle bones)*.
*Lavinia Casati, Francesca Pagani, Pier Carlo Braga, Roberto Lo Scalzo, Valeria Sibilia, Nasunin, a new player in the field of osteoblast protection against oxidative stress, Journal of Functional Foods, Volume 23, 2016, Pages 474-484, ISSN 1756-4646, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2016.03.007. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1756464616300275#:~:text=5.,stress%20as%20occurs%20in%20osteoporosis.
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