Caponata Canned Recipes

EGGPLANT CAPONATA (SICILIAN VERSION)

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.

CAPONATA

Steps:

• Briskly sauté the onions and celery in the olive oil until the onions are brown around the edges.
• Meanwhile, mince the garlic, anchovies, salt and pepper together.
• Add to the onions, turn the heat way down and let it stew while dicing the bell pepper and eggplant.
• Add the diced pepper and eggplant.
• Cook over moderate heat until the eggplant is completely cooked, almost falling apart.
• (Eggplant is insatiable when it comes to oil. Don't feed it. If the eggplant sticks too much, toss in a spoonful of water to loosen it.) Add the tomatoes and simmer, partially covered, until the tomatoes are cooked — 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir in the vinegar, capers, and olives.
• Simmer uncovered for a few minutes (until it's no longer watery) then fine-tune the seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Put in a bowl and let it cool uncovered.
• When it's at room temperature, serve or refrigerate.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• 1. 2 T olive oil (for frying only) 2 cloves... garlic, crushed or minced (I used 4 cloves) 1 large eggplant, sliced, pared, and cut in small cubes (about 3 cups) 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon crushed oregano 1/4 teaspoon crushed basil 1 teaspoon Kosher salt Few grains black pepper 1 cup canned tomato paste 1/4 cup water 1 cup red wine vinegar (5% acidity) (white vinegar can be substituted) 1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces (optional) How to make Eggplant Appetizer-Relish (Caponata) Heat the oil and garlic in a large, heavy skillet. Add the eggplant, green pepper, onion, and parsley; toss to mix. Cover tightly and cook over low heat about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, blend sugar, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Add tomato paste, water, and vinegar; mix well. Add to mixture in skillet and stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and cook gently until eggplant is tender. The eggplant will definitely loose its firmness due to stirring, but that's ok. Ladle into jars, remove air bubbles and fill to 1/2 headspace. Wipe rims, add hot lids and rings. Process in water bath 15 minutes for half-pint jars and 20 minutes for pint jars. Makes 5 cups

CAPONATA SAUCE

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt; allow to sit and drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze eggplant to release more water.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; saute eggplant until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a bowl, reserving any oil in the skillet.
• Cook and stir onion, celery, and green bell pepper in the same skillet, adding more oil as needed, until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Mix eggplant, tomatoes, anchovies, basil, and oregano into onion mixture; saute over high heat until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool mixture to room temperature, at least 15 minutes.
• Mix olives and capers into eggplant mixture and dress with red wine vinegar and more olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Add pine nuts.
• Line a plate with lettuce leaves. Spoon eggplant mixture onto toasts and arrange on lettuce. Garnish with tomato wedges.

CAPONATA - CANNED

Steps:

• Heat 5 Tbs olive oil in stockpot.
• Add eggplant that has been cut into 1" cubes.
• Stir fry 10-12 minutes until golden and touched with brown.
• Add remaining oil, onions, garlic, and celery and stir fry 10 minutes longer until golden.
• Mix in all remaining ingredients, cover, reduce heat to moderately low and simmer 1 hour, stirring about every 10 minutes.
• Uncover and cook until very thick, about the consistency of chutney.
• Prepare 3 pint sized jars.
• Ladle caponata into jars leaving 1 inch headspace.
• Wipe rims with a damp cloth.
• Seal with lids.
• Pressure cooker can pints at 10 pounds pressure for 30 minutes.