Page 217 - UMass2018_CookBook

Eggplant Caponata
Sanford D’Amato
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Season the eggplant with salt and pepper and toss with 1⁄2 cup of the oil.
Heat a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Heat the remaining 1⁄4 cup oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery and red and green bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes; do not brown. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes; do not brown. Stir in the cocoa powder. Add the eggplant, olives, pepperoncini, raisins, water, vinegar, capers and sugar and bring to a boil.
5. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the eggplant is tender, about 3 min- utes. Spoon the caponata onto a nonre- active baking sheet to cool. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
6. Just before serving, stir half of the pine nuts into the eggplant caponata and sprin- kle the rest on top.
Ingredients
Serves 8
1 pound eggplant,
stems trimmed, eggplant cut into medium dice (leave skin on)
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, cut into medium dice
1 celery stalk, cut into medium dice
1⁄2 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into medium dice
1⁄2 small green bell pepper, seeded and cut into medium dice
2 tablespoons chopped garlic 1 fresh thyme sprig
2 bay leaves
1⁄4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
6 ounces pitted brine-cured green olives, rinsed, drained and cut into fourths
1⁄3 cup pepperoncini, stemmed, seeded and cut into very thin rings
1⁄3 cup yellow raisins, soaked
in 4 teaspoons dry Marsala and 2 teaspoons Sambuca, chopped through once
1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup water
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1⁄2 tablespoons salted or brine- cured capers, rinsed and drained, chopped through once if large
3⁄4 teaspoon granulated sugar 1⁄2 cup toasted salted pine nuts
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