Vibrant Caponata

Caponata is a traditional Sicilian vegetable dish as vibrant and colourful as a Mediterranean sunset. Influenced by Arab culture during their rule of Sicily from the 9th to the 11th centuries, Caponata embodies a rich blend of flavours and culinary techniques introduced by the Arabs. This versatile dish can be served as a starter, side dish, or even as a main course for those embracing a herbivorous diet. It is a delightful melange of aubergines, tomatoes, celery, and olives, simmered together to create a rich and harmonious ode to the vegetable kingdom. The hallmark balance of sweet and tangy flavours, sometimes enhanced with raisins or pine nuts, reflects its multicultural heritage. Each bite offers a taste of Sicily’s storied past, making Caponata a dish well worth exploring.

Ingredients

3	Glossy aubergines
2	Red onions
3 sticks	Celery
200 ml (7 fl oz or 0.85 cups)	Olive oil
4 cloves	Garlic
5	Plum tomatoes
200 grams (7 oz or 1.25 cups)	Green and black olives, mixed
3 tbsp	Capers
75 ml (2.5 fl oz or 0.33 cups)	Red wine vinegar
2 tbsp	Sugar
To taste	Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Glossy aubergines

Red onions

3 sticks

Celery

200 ml (7 fl oz or 0.85 cups)

Olive oil

4 cloves

Garlic

Plum tomatoes

200 grams (7 oz or 1.25 cups)

Green and black olives, mixed

3 tbsp

Capers

75 ml (2.5 fl oz or 0.33 cups)

Red wine vinegar

2 tbsp

Sugar

To taste

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

method of cooking

1	Begin by cutting the aubergines into chunky 2cm (0.8 inch) cubes. Place them in a colander, sprinkle generously with sea salt, and let them sit for about 30 minutes to draw out any excess moisture.
2	While the aubergines are resting, finely chop the red onions, celery, and garlic. Cut the plum tomatoes into small chunks and set them aside.
3	Heat half of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the aubergine cubes in batches, frying them until golden and tender, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Remove the aubergines and set them aside.
4	In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil, onions, celery, and garlic. Sauté until the onions become soft and translucent, roughly 10 minutes.
5	Add the chopped tomatoes, olives, and capers to the pan. Stir well to combine and cook for another 10 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down and meld with the other vegetables.
6	Return the aubergines to the pan. Pour in the red wine vinegar and sprinkle the sugar over the mixture. Stir everything together and let it simmer for another 15 minutes, allowing the flavours to develop and the mixture to become beautifully thick and glossy.
7	Season generously with salt and pepper to taste, and remove from the heat. Let the Caponata cool to room temperature before serving. It tastes even better the next day after the flavours have had time to meld.

Begin by cutting the aubergines into chunky 2cm (0.8 inch) cubes. Place them in a colander, sprinkle generously with sea salt, and let them sit for about 30 minutes to draw out any excess moisture.

While the aubergines are resting, finely chop the red onions, celery, and garlic. Cut the plum tomatoes into small chunks and set them aside.

Heat half of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the aubergine cubes in batches, frying them until golden and tender, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Remove the aubergines and set them aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil, onions, celery, and garlic. Sauté until the onions become soft and translucent, roughly 10 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes, olives, and capers to the pan. Stir well to combine and cook for another 10 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down and meld with the other vegetables.

Return the aubergines to the pan. Pour in the red wine vinegar and sprinkle the sugar over the mixture. Stir everything together and let it simmer for another 15 minutes, allowing the flavours to develop and the mixture to become beautifully thick and glossy.

Season generously with salt and pepper to taste, and remove from the heat. Let the Caponata cool to room temperature before serving. It tastes even better the next day after the flavours have had time to meld.