caponata

Caponata

11 ingredients, 30 mins, 4 servings


Ingredients

​2 aubergines, cubed
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
100g pine nuts, toasted
100g sultanas
1 tbsp capers
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp chopped basil
Seasoning to taste


Method

Gently fry the aubergines in a little olive oil for 4 – 5 minutes until they begin to soften and brown on the outside. Add the celery and peppers and cook for a further five minutes.
Now add the tinned tomatoes, sultanas, red wine vinegar and honey. Turn the heat to a simmer and cook for a further 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the capers, pine nuts and basil and warm through. Season to serve.
This keeps really well in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. If anything the taste improves after 24 hours in the fridge as the flavours continue to combine.
 
The caponata tastes great on its own or with a large hunk of garlic bread and a glass of red wine as a vegetarian main meal. It also goes really well served hot with white, flat fish such as sea bream or sea bass.

If there is any left then another option is cold with chicken – the combination of vinegar and honey mean it takes on almost a chutney like taste.


Variations

For a vegan version you could replace the honey with a similar quantity of unrefined caster sugar.