When the abundance hits it's time to mix things up so we don't get tired of eating the same produce day after day. This recipe takes some basic veggies from "meh" to "Oh Mamma!" real quick!
I've always been an adventurous eater, and even lived in Italy for some time, but I've never appreciated the amazingly balanced flavors of a good caponata until recently! I just needed a way to use up our eggplant and tomatoes TBH. Now you can call me a believer!
Tomatoes picked at the peak of ripeness, peppers with a vibrant kick, and briny olives giving attitude – they all come together like a Mediterranean vacation for your palate. This caponata isn't just a recipe; it's a journey from my garden to the plate, and it dishes out flavors that make my taste buds want to pack their bags and move back to Italy.
Ingredients:
3 cups cubed eggplant
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 date, finely chopped (1/4 cup raisins works as well!)
1/4 cup green olives, chopped
1/4 cup capers
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup bone broth
3-4 tablespoons EVOO, half to coat, half to sauté
1 tablespoon of each mint, parsley, basil chopped, for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Cut eggplant into large cubes, drizzle with EVOO, salt generously, and toss to coat.
3. Scatter eggplant onto silpat or parchment paper lined baking dish and toast in oven for 20-25 minutes until soft and browned.
4. While eggplant is roasting, rough chop onion, pepper, tomatoes, garlic, date, and olives; it's ok if everything is chunky, this is a rustic dish!
5. Sauté onion and pepper in EVOO with a dash of salt until soft, add garlic and stir for just 30 seconds, you don't want the garlic to brown.
6. Add tomatoes, olives, capers, dates, honey, red wine vinegar, bone broth, salt and pepper and let simmer on low until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes; stir frequently to prevent scorching or sticking.
7. Add roasted eggplant and simmer 5 minutes, taste for final seasoning.
8. Serve on toasted bread rubbed with garlic, garnish with chopped parsley, mint, and basil and enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this caponata recipe as much as I have! If you try it tag me in a picture or video on Instagram @LizaHomesteads, I want to know how my recipes work out for you!
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