Maggie Beers Caponata Recipes

SICILIAN CAPONATA

Steps:

• Sprinkle eggplant with salt and leave for 20 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse off the juices. Dry with paper towel. Pour enough olive oil in a frying pan to reach 2cm up the sides. When it is hot and just about to start smoking, add eggplant and fry until coloured and soft (about 5 minutes) - you can do this in two batches. Drain eggplant on paper towel. Drain oil from the pan and add 3 tbsp of fresh extra virgin olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add celery and cook for a further 5 minutes. Return eggplant to pan then add capers and olives and toss together. Pour in the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and basil. Cook over low heat for 8 minutes. Caponata can be served straight away or refrigerated to allow the flavours to combine further. Photography by William Meppem. Styling by Hannah Meppem. Food preparation by Dominic Smith.

MAGGIE BEER'S CAPONATA

Steps:

• Sauté the onion and celery in a frying pan with a splash of olive oil until the onion colours a little and the celery retains a crunchy firmness.
• Add the sugar and mix well to combine, deglaze with the vinegar and continue to cook until a little syrupy. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add a good splash of extra virgin olive oil (evoo) to the pan, and fry off the eggplant (you may need to do this in batches if your pan isn't big enough) adding a little more oil if needed and a little salt.
• When the eggplant is almost cooked all the way through with a rich golden colour, add the diced tomatoes. Reduce the heat and continue to cook until the tomato has softened a little.
• Add the onion and celery mixture along with all the liquid back into the pan with the eggplant. Mix well and then add the olives, capers, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• While the mixture is still warm, add the chocolate so that it melts and stir in gently. Then add the basil and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
• Serve!