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Eggplant And Fig Caponata (GF, V)

Caponata is something I’ve been seeing on so many blogs over the past year or so but I’ve never attempted to even looking too deeply into a recipe, let alone try making it. The reason for this is that I really do not like eggplant/ aubergine.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 serving

Ingredients
  

For the tomato sauce:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 onion medium size , diced
  • 3 tomatoes medium size red , diced
  • 1/2 carrot medium size , grated finely
  • to taste salt

For the caponata:

  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 1 eggplant big purple (the large variety)
  • 6 eggplant small medium purple
  • 1 1/2 onion " medium , diced into pieces
  • 2 to 3 tbsps pine nuts
  • 3 figs dried , chopped
  • 3/4 to 1 tbsps chilli flakes
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp celery dried (use fresh if you have it)
  • 1/3 cup tomato sauce (recipe follows)
  • 2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
  • to taste salt

To serve:

  • Garlic bread baguette or for the crostini
  • Olive oil

Instructions
 

  • First make the tomato sauce -Run the chopped onion and tomato in the blender to a chunky consistency. Do not purxe9e the mixture, but blend till very small chunks are visible. This will give the caponata a better texture.
  • Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic paste and sautxe9 for a minute. Add the chunky onion-tomato mixture, grated carrot and salt. Cook till the raw smell of onion disappears and everything is well cooked and the consistency of a very thick sauce. This should take about 8 to10 minutes.
  • Keep aside. You will not need all the tomato sauce for the caponata. You can refrigerate the rest for upto a week and itu2019ll stay longer in the freezer.
  • Now make the caponata - First pre-heat your oven to 230C (450F). Cut off the stalk on the eggplant and cut each one into half lengthwise. Place them, cut side down on a greased baking tray and lightly coat the eggplant halves with oil.
  • Bake them for about 20 to 25 minutes till the skins turn brown (not burnt) in colour. Take them out and let them cool. Peel the skins off and chop the eggplant into 1/2" cubes.
  • Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan. Add the onions and sautxe9 for a couple of minutes, till they become a little soft. Add the pine nuts, figs, chilli flakes and cook for about 5 minutes, on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  • Now add the chopped eggplant, brown sugar, the tomato sauce (from above), balsamic vinegar and salt. Cook this for another 5 minutes or so on medium heat till done. Add the dried celery and the other herbs. Mix well and take it off the heat.
  • Lightly drizzle baguette or garlic bread slices with olive oil and toast or grill them till golden brown. Top with the caponata and serve.

Notes

I have to thank Al for picking a vegetarian dish this time because it meant I didn’t have to spend too much time on looking for substitutes. I also have to thank him for introducing me to this delightful way of cooking eggplant.
This eggplant caponata is really a nice balance of flavours and textures. I found Mario Batalli’s tomato sauce interesting where the carrot lends a slight sweetness. The figs and balsamic vinegar are probably not traditional ingredients but add to the sweet and sour balance of the caponata.
I see some resemblance here, in the taste, to a north Indian style baingan subzi (or eggplant curry) and this probably because of the Arabic influence in this dish is somewhat similar to the Mughal/ Persian influences on north Indian cooking. I can even see this eggplant caponata as a wonderful topping for pizza. I know eggplant is used by many as topping on pizza, but I have never gone that way so far.
Add the crunch of the crostini to the meltingly soft, slightly spicy, sweet and sour caponata and you have a wonderful appetizer. My daughter who is a confirmed eggplant hater actually told me, “I don’t mind eating eggplant if it is cooked like this”! I rest my case.
The four of us (Alessio, Asha, Pamela and I), and anyone else who would like to join us in our food adventures hope to keep exploring a new dish/ style of cooking/ cuisine every month, for as long as we can. Each of us will share our recipes and our experiences with them on our blogs.
This month's Caponata recipes:
Asha: Sicilian Caponata Over Z'atared Lavash Crackers
Alessio: Sicily, Sweet And Sour
Sarah: Caponata - A Sicilian Aubergine Relish
Veena: Sicilian Caponata
Ken: Caponata Jam N Olive Oil Financier
Madhuli: Yotam Ottolenghi's Caponata