Caponata

A Southern Italian Eggplant Relish

Caponata, a cooked vegetable salad served throughout Southern Italy. It always features eggplant and is sometimes served as a main dish, but most often as an accompaniment to fish or pork. While in the provinces of Puglia and Basilicata, I had the opportunity to taste several versions. Each was sweet and tangy, vibrant and full-flavored. We stayed on a farm for a few nights in Puglia, and this version is most similar to the caponata that I prepared with Mateo, the farm chef. Each night Mateo, who has served as a chef in restaurants from Rome to Milan, would whip up his own creative versions of rustic Puglian staples. His recipes were intensely flavored, and he often used non-traditional ingredients such as soy sauce and Worchester sauce along with fresh ingredients from the farm and from his herb garden. The results were delicious. His version of caponata is too rich to be served as a main course, but it makes a great appetizer served with fresh bread or crostini, and is even better as a relish with grilled pork, which is how he served the dish.

Ingredients:

· ½ c. raisins

· 1 large (or 2 medium) eggplant

· ½ c. brandy or water

· ¼ c. olive oil

· 2/3 c. carrots, peeled and chopped fine

· 2/3 c. celery stalks, chopped fine

· ¼ c. capers

· ¼ c. pine nuts

· ½. c. Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

· 1-2 c. olive oil

· Juice from one 24 oz. can of whole tomatoes

· Soy sauce

Directions:

1. Soak the raisins in water or brandy for 1 hour.

2. Cut the eggplant into rounds, ¾ inch thick. If there are lots of seeds, soak the eggplant in salted water for 20 minutes, and then drain. Cut the eggplant into ¾ inch cubes.

3. Add the oil, carrots, and celery to a large skillet and cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until soft but not yet brown.

4. Stir in the raisins, capers, pine nuts and parsley.

5. Add the eggplant and about 1 c. olive oil. Cook for 20 minutes, adding more olive oil as the eggplant absorbs it, and stirring occasionally.

6. Add the juice from the can of tomatoes and soy sauce to taste. Cook for an additional 5‑10 minutes. The eggplant should be very soft, almost falling apart.

7. Serve warm as an appetizer or relish.