Focus on food: September 29, 2007

Caponata Sicilian Style

Ingredients:
• 2 eggplant, medium
• ¾ c. olive oil
• 1 c. chopped celery
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 c. tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• ¼ c. capers
• ¼ c. red wine vinegar
• 1 T. superfine sugar
• 2 T. pine nuts
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 can tuna, packed in oil

Directions:
• Peel eggplant and cut into ¾ inch cubes. Pour olive oil into skillet. Add eggplant and cook over high heat, for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Mix often.

• Remove eggplant with a slotted spoon and leave the oil in the skillet. Place celery on one side of the skillet and onions on the other side. Lower heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally.

• When celery is tender, add tomatoes. Cover and continue to cook for 10 more minutes, mixing together onions, celery and tomatoes. After ten minutes, add eggplant to the mix.

• Drain capers and soak in cold water for 15 minutes and drain and dry with a paper towel. In a separate pan, heat vinegar and sugar. As soon as the mix boils, add capers, nuts, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 minute and add the eggplant mixture and cook over low heat, covered, for another 5 minutes.

• Cool, add tuna and mix well. Serves 8

Giobbi, Edward, Italian Family Cooking, 1971, Random House