Description
This recipe is a variation of Sicilian Caponata, which is an eggplant relish served in Sicily as a topping for brushetta or as a condiment served with meat or fish. My family loves it as a dip for tortilla chips or even by the spoonful (if no one’s looking!). Be sure to microwave the eggplant, or it will absorb too much oil and become mushy.
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup tomato-vegetable juice cocktail (such as V8®)
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 4 anchovy fillets, minced, or to taste
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup raisins
- ½ cup pitted black olives, chopped
- ½ cup pitted green olives, chopped
- ½ cup zucchini, diced
- ½ cup yellow squash, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup grated carrot
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Toss the eggplant with the kosher salt and spread out onto a microwave-safe plate. Cook in the microwave on High until the eggplant is dry and has shriveled to 1/3 of its original size
- about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Whisk the tomato juice cocktail
- vinegar
- red wine
- brown sugar
- parsley
- and anchovies together in a large bowl. Stir in the tomatoes
- raisins
- black olives
- green olives
- zucchini
- yellow squash
- celery
- red bell pepper
- and carrot; set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the eggplant and cook
- stirring occasionally
- until the edges have browned
- 4 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the celery and onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened
- about 4 minutes more. Stir in the vegetable mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until the liquid thickens and begins to coat the vegetables
- 4 to 7 minutes more. Scrape into a bowl and stir in the pine nuts. Refrigerate to room temperature. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 3 hrs
Servings: 32