Summer Recipe: Caponata

Caponata, a Sicilian meal composed of vegetables, olives, herbs, and tomatoes. ideal dish for the warm season

Recipe taken from Como Simple

Ingredients:

• 125ml extra virgin olive oil

• 400g eggplant, diced

• 400g butternut squash, diced

• 150g red onion, diced

• 300g celery, diced

• 150g fennel, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, sliced

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp chilli flakes, plus extra for garnishing

• 60ml red wine vinegar

• 60ml honey

• 50g capers

• 250ml pomodoro sauce

• 120g pitted and halved green olives

• 300g diced tomatoes

• 60g roasted pine nuts

• 60g currants

• 15g chopped basil, mint or parsley

• Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

• ½ lemon, juiced

Method:

1. Place half of the olive oil in a skillet over a medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant and butternut squash in batches until golden brown (do not crowd the pan as it will take the vegetables much longer to brown). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2. Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan and sauté the onion, celery, fennel, garlic and bay leaf until everything is lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the chilli flakes and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add the red wine vinegar, honey, capers and pomodoro sauce. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Continue simmering for 5 minutes over a low heat. Add the fried vegetables, olives, tomatoes, pine nuts, currants and chopped herbs. Stir well and remove from the heat.

4. Add a large pinch of salt and pepper, and a good spritz of fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavours. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.