Caponata

At the time I was executive chef in the dining room of Gourmet magazine, I had the occasion to cook for many of it’s advertising clients. Among them were the publishers of Tastes of Liberty (New York: Tabori & Chang, 1985), which was published for the centennial of the Statue of Liberty.

I was asked to prepare this recipe from their cookbook for lunch as an appetizer, and I enjoyed it so much that I now serve it hot instead of ratatouille. Like ratatouille, it may be served as a meal in itself, and it makes a great side dish, particularly with lamb.

Caponata can easily be made the day before and reheated.

1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 large red or green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1-pound can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and seeded
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 to 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
6 large green olives, pitted and sliced thinly
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Place eggplant in colander and sprinkle with salt. Cover with a heavy plate and drain for 30 minutes.

Sauté peppers, onion and celery in 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, stirring frequently until the onions are soft, approximately 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add remaining oil to sauté pan. After squeezing the excess liquid from the eggplant, sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently until lightly browned. Add pepper and onion mixture to the eggplant along with the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve hot or cold.