Time to make the Caponata

Don't let the peak harvest slip away

RIC’S EGGPLANT CAPONATA

If Sicily has a national dish, Caponata is it. It is served everywhere from homes to taverns to the beach to fine dining rooms. It is often served free at “aperitivo”, the Italian version of happy hour. It is basically a sweet and sour chutney, but don’t try to tell Sicilians that. It is simply Caponata. 

According to experts, there are officially 37 versions of this dish including some with seafood and meat, but I am sure there are at least 37000 more. I have eaten a slew of renditions, including versions made with cooked swordfish, fresh raw tuna and then another with fried potato cubes when eggplant was “non e’ stagione”. My version of caponata is closer to the one my Grandmother made. It’s a little more saucy than many found in Sicily. It’s great scooped onto good bread of course, but I love it as a condiment for sandwiches and also as a garnish for grilled fish, especially swordfish. 

The secret is first cooking the ingredients separately in batches then cooking them down together. It takes a little longer but it is worth the effort.

This recipe makes a quart or more. It can be stored in the fridge, covered, for at least a month or it can be properly canned for further storage. Canning instructions are below.

You will see that canning caponata requires longer cooking in the jar which creates a saucier dish, almost like a chutney. That’s ok with me. That is what I grew up on. In Sicily most caponata is made fresh and loose and is super delicious but I grew up eating caponata that my Nonna made, or what we bought in a jar.

You can use any large variety of eggplant here.

Enjoy this recipe.