Eggplant Caponata

It’s no secret that I adore eggplant. My husband will attest, if we go to a restaurant and there’s eggplant on the menu I’m getting it. So of course I’m always excited to find new ways to cook it at home.

I checked my fridge tonight and realized I had the makings of Caponata, the classic sweet and sour Sicilian eggplant dish, sitting right there begging to be led to their destiny. I found Mario Batali’s version online and adapted it for what I had on hand. I’ll link to his original recipe below.

Be forewarned upfront, this is not a quick dish. Give yourself about 90 minutes cooking time, then ideally it’s cooled to room temperature before serving (although I was eating it so quickly I burned my tongue. And it was worth it!) BUT, and I say this with a seriousness seldom seen from me, it is like Heaven in your mouth. Surely that’s worth a few extra minutes in the kitchen.

If you haven’t had a dish like this before, the ingredients may look a little strange. In the middle of the recipe you take a breakfast-worthy combination of cocoa powder, cinnamon and sugar and pour it over garlicky vegetables, but that combination becomes magic by the time it’s all slow-cooked together. Try it.

Eggplant and Zucchini Caponata

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped in 1/2-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, chopped in ½ inch dice
1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped almonds
1 1/2 Tablespoons craisins
1/4 teaspoon chopped jalapeno
1/2 Tablespoon hot chili flakes, plus extra for garnish
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large zucchini cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 can chopped tomatoes with juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil and add onion, garlic, almonds, craisins, jalapenos and chili flakes. Sauté 5 minutes until softened.

Add the eggplant, zucchini, red pepper, sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon salt and continue to cook, covered and over lower heat, for 5 more minutes. Watch carefully to prevent scorching and stir occasionally.
Add the thyme, tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil (this will happen quickly and at a low heat due to the cover).

Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour until the vegetables are very very soft. Continue to be careful of scorching and stir occasionally (there should be a good layer of juice in there, but if necessary add more tomato liquid or vegetable stock).

As it reaches the end of cooking, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Eat heaped high in a bowl or serve appetizer-style with crostini.

Mario's original recipe can be found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/eggplant-caponata-recipe/index.html