**Caponata: A Sicilian Symphony of Flavors**
Caponata, a captivating dish originating from the vibrant island of Sicily, is a delightful symphony of flavors that tantalizes the palate. This delectable dish, often served as an appetizer or a side dish, is a harmonious blend of sweet, tangy, and savory notes, with a textural contrast that keeps taste buds engaged. Its versatility allows it to be enjoyed on its own, or as an accompaniment to grilled meats, fish, or crostini. This article presents a collection of carefully curated caponata recipes, each offering a unique interpretation of this Sicilian classic. From traditional recipes that stay true to the authentic flavors of Sicily to contemporary variations that add a modern twist, these recipes cater to diverse preferences and culinary skills. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a novice in the kitchen, you're sure to find a caponata recipe that will impress your taste buds and transport you to the heart of Sicily.
CAPONATA
Provided by Anne Burrell
Time 1h10m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, toss the eggplant generously with olive oil and salt, to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the eggplant is soft and mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve.
- Coat a wide deep pot with olive oil. Toss in the onion and crushed red pepper and season with salt, to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the fennel, celery and garlic and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the peppers and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the zucchini, season with salt, to taste, and cook until the zucchini and all the veggies are soft and aromatic and starting to come together as a stew, about 5 to 6 minutes. Toss in the eggplant, 1/2 cup of water and the tomato paste. Cook until the water has evaporated. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a small bowl and add it to the mixture. Stir in the raisins, capers, pine nuts and mint. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.
- Let cool and transfer the caponata to a serving bowl. Serve immediately or even better tomorrow or the next day.
ZUCCHINI CAPONATA WITH OLIVE DIRT
Steps:
- Heat a wide saute pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent. Add the zucchini and let caramelize, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the capers, raisins, basil and thyme. Deglaze with the vinegar. Add the pureed yellow tomato. Cook over high heat until everything is coated and mixed together, about 3 minutes. Season with sugar and some salt and pepper.
- Bring neutral oil to 375 degrees F in a deep-fryer. (See Cook's Note.) Place pine nuts in a mesh strainer, then lower them carefully into the oil and let fry until golden. Lift back out to a paper towel-lined tray and season lightly with salt.
- Put zucchini caponata into a bowl. Sprinkle pine nuts and Olive Dirt on top. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and basil buds.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Pulse olives, panko, flour, butter, cocoa powder and some salt in a food processor until it resembles wet dirt. Spread on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and toast in the oven, 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then pulse again in food processor.
EGGPLANT CAPONATA
Steps:
- Cook 1 chopped onion in a skillet with 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 minutes. Add 1 each chopped celery stalk and eggplant; cook 4 minutes. Add 1 chopped red bell pepper and cook 3 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons golden raisins, some chopped oregano and 1/2 cup water; simmer 8 minutes. Add 1 cup halved grape tomatoes and 1 tablespoon each cider vinegar and capers; cook 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and top with torn basil.
- SERVES 6
- Calories: 138
- Total Fat: 9 grams
- Saturated Fat: 1 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Total carbohydrates: 14 grams
- Sugar: 7 grams
- Fiber: 4.5 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
- Sodium: 199 milligrams
SLOW-COOKER CAPONATA
This Italian eggplant dip preps quickly and actually gets better as it stands. Serve it warm or at room temperature. Try adding a little leftover caponata to scrambled eggs for a savory breakfast. -Nancy Beckman, Helena, Montana
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Appetizers
Time 5h20m
Yield 6 cups.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Place first 11 ingredients in a 6-qt. slow cooker (do not stir). Cook, covered, on high for 3 hours. Stir gently; replace cover. Cook on high 2 hours longer or until vegetables are tender. Cool slightly; discard bay leaves. Serve with toasted baguette slices, adding toppings as desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 34 calories, Fat 2g fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 189mg sodium, Carbohydrate 4g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 1g protein.
EGGPLANT CAPONATA (SICILIAN VERSION)
Delicious relish or appetizer that can be served hot or cold! Serve with toasted crusty bread.
Provided by rocks_67
Categories Appetizers and Snacks Antipasto Recipes
Time 1h34m
Yield 16
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Toss eggplant with salt and place in a colander set over a bowl. Let sit, about 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is soft and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet. Add eggplant and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in celery mixture, tomatoes, olives, capers, tomato paste, and oregano. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until caponata is thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Season caponata with vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 54.3 calories, Carbohydrate 4.9 g, Fat 3.9 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 0.9 g, SaturatedFat 0.5 g, Sodium 297 mg, Sugar 2.2 g
CAPONATA PANINI
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories main-dish
Time 55m
Yield 4 panini
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Preheat a panini grill.
- Using a grapefruit spoon or fingers, scoop out a 1-inch wide trough along the cut sides of the baguettes. Place 2 half-slices of the provolone cheese on each bottom half of the baguettes. Spoon 1/3 cup of the caponata on top of the cheese. Place the top halves on the baguettes and grill the panini until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and eggplant and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, raisins, and oregano to the pan. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, capers, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Season, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if needed.
CAPONATA
Caponata is a Sicilian sweet and sour version of ratatouille. Because eggplant absorbs flavors like a sponge, it's particularly good in such a pungent dish. Like most eggplant dishes, this gets better overnight. It's meant to be served at room temperature, and I like it cold as well. It makes a great topping for bruschetta.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Time 1h
Yield Serves 6 to 8
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Roast the eggplant, allow to cool and chop coarsely.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet and add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook together for a minute, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant, and add the peppers and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, until just about tender, about 8 minutes. Add another tablespoon of oil and the eggplant, and stir together for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The eggplant will fall apart, which is fine. Season to taste.
- Add the tomatoes to the pan with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and they smell fragrant. Add the capers, olives, remaining sugar, and vinegar. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are thoroughly tender and the mixture is quite thick, sweet, and fragrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. If possible, cover and chill overnight. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 100, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 15 grams, Fat 4 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 502 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams
GRILLED CAPONATA
Steps:
- Heat your grill to high. Brush the eggplant, onion slices and tomatoes with olive oil and season each type of vegetable with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Grill the eggplant for 6 to 8 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Grill the onions for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and just cooked through. Grill the tomatoes for 2 minutes per side until charred and slightly soft. Remove to a cutting board and cut into quarters.
- Remove the vegetables from the grill to a cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer the vegetables to a medium bowl and add the olives, capers, raisins and pine nuts.
- Mix together the garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar and honey in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup of olive oil and whisk until emulsified.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables, add the parsley and stir gently to combine. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 176 calorie, Fat 10 grams, SaturatedFat 1 grams, Cholesterol 0 milligrams, Sodium 441 milligrams, Carbohydrate 22 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 4 grams, Sugar 12 grams
FIG AND FENNEL CAPONATA
Steps:
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 10-inch saute pan. Add the onions and fennel and saute for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Stir in the vinegar, tomatoes, figs, and brown sugar, stirring to coat everything with the tomatoes. Stir in the capers, olives, orange zest, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the orange juice and parsley. Taste for seasonings; the caponata should be very highly seasoned. Serve the caponata warm or at room temperature with slices of grilled bread.
Tips:
- Choose ripe vegetables: Use eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers that are at their peak of ripeness for the best flavor.
- Cut the vegetables uniformly: This will help them cook evenly.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: If you overcrowd the pan, the vegetables will steam instead of fry, which will make them soggy.
- Use a large pan: You want to have enough room to spread the vegetables out in a single layer.
- Cook the vegetables over medium-high heat: This will help them brown and caramelize.
- Stir the vegetables frequently: This will prevent them from sticking to the pan and burning.
- Add the capers, olives, and raisins towards the end of cooking: This will prevent them from becoming overcooked and losing their flavor.
- Serve the caponata warm or at room temperature: It can be enjoyed as an appetizer, side dish, or sandwich filling.
Conclusion:
Ina Garten's caponata recipe is a delicious and versatile dish that is sure to impress your guests. The combination of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors is simply irresistible. With its beautiful presentation, it is also a perfect dish for a special occasion. Whether you are serving it as an appetizer, side dish, or sandwich filling, this caponata is sure to be a hit.
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