Caponata

This is a great southern Italian appetizer. It is normally stewed eggplant, tomatoes, celery, vinegar, capers, olives, fresh basil and other herbs. I prefer to grill my eggplant and tomatoes for a bit of roasted flavour. It can be served hot or cold. I prefer it on toasted ciabatta or crostini and served warm with a drizzle of excellent olive oil. It is like jazzed up bruschetta.

You will need:

• 1 medium eggplant- sliced
• 4 plum tomatoes - sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil - I used an Italian Teraliva
• 1 stalk celery - diced fine
• 1/2 onion - diced fine
• 2 cloves garlic - chopped
• 1/2 fresh chili or 1/2 tsp dry chili flakes
• 1 tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp capers - chopped
• pinch sugar
• 3 green olives - chopped fine
• 1 tsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
• more oil to drizzle! 
• salt/pepper to taste
• ciabatta bread or baguette for crostini
• Parmesan grated to top

Step 1: slice the eggplant and tomatoes into thick slices. 

Step 2: heat the grill to high and brush both the tomatoes and eggplant with olive oil. Grill for a few minutes so that the tomatoes do not lose their shape but get a bit of char on them. Cook the eggplant the same way. You will continue to cook the eggplant in a bit of olive oil in step 3, so it does not need to be cooked fully on the grill.

Step 3: chop eggplant into small dice and cook in 1-2 tbsp olive oil for 2-3 minutes until cooked completely and nicely coated in olive oil. Place eggplant in a medium sized bowl. Chop tomatoes into small dice and add to bowl along with eggplant. 

Step 4: in the same pan cook finely diced onion and celery, garlic and chilies in 2 tbsp olive oil. Cook 5-7 minutes until softened and just starting to brown. Add to eggplant and tomatoes.

Step 5: add vinegar, chopped capers, pinch of sugar, chopped olives, chopped basil, parsley and salt and pepper. Taste it and adjust if necessary.  I sometimes add a squeeze of lemon at this point if it needs something but, it is not required.

Step 6: slice some bread and toast first, then add your caponata.

I like to add a bit of Parmesan and broil for a minute or two to melt.

yum.