Caponata a la Yum and More

Caponata is originally a sweet and sour Sicilian dish, I have created my own version to be warm or cold as a pasta sauce or as a cold accompanying condiment to go with grilled meat, vegetables or in our case with BBQ’ed peaches with bacon and spicy marinated pineapple slices.

I recently served a dollop of this cold on warm cheese tortelloni with arrabiata sauce and it was just the perfect addition to make the dish sublime and pretty.

My caponata is made with eggplants, carrots, onion, garlic, tomatoes, capers, raisins and racy spices and herbs. It is sweet and sour, has a spicy tang which brings out the vegetable flavor. I have made this simple to cook recipe many times and it has always been well received with lots of “yum, yum’s” and “can I have the recipe?”.

It is best made in a pressure cooker or in the handy COOK4MEfrom Krups (information in German only), a do-it-all hot pot and pressure cooker with built in digital recipes and cooking instructions and a manual modus, see my previous reviewfor more information. Alternatively, it can be braised and simmered on the stove or in the oven in a Dutch oven or a casserole with a good lid. 

Below you can find the caponata recipe which includes all three cooking instruction varieties and a bonus recipe for the spicy marinated BBQ’ed fruit.

Please note that if the caponata is used as a warm pasta sauce then serve it warm after seasoning (see the “before serving” step in the recipe).

If you want to use it as an accompanying condiment, then make it the day before and refrigerate overnight before adding the last seasoning (see the “before serving” step in the recipe).

I use a variety of spices from RIMOCO, a small German startup company in Saarbrücken that creates, tests and tries their spice mixture extensively. They are fresh well-combined, beautifully packaged in magnetic metal containers, and their prices are very fair. They can be ordered online at www.rimoco.deor visit their tasting room or a cooking course in their factory kitchen in Saarbrücken.

The carrots in the caponata can be either grated for a thicker sauce or finely chopped. Both ways are fine.

Caponata a la Yum and More

Makes a large buffet condiment or 4-5 pasta sauce servings – to make more simply increase all the ingredients in proportion.

Ingredients:

• 2 mid-size aubergines/eggplants – I prefer the thinner and longer Turkish kind they are less bitter
• 5 large or 2 medium-sized carrots
• 1-2 garlic cloves, peeled or leave them out if you are allergic
• 1 large onion, red or white
• 2 ripe beef tomatoes (large) or equivalent other or cherry tomatoes
• 1 TBSP fresh lemon thyme or normal thyme leaves removed from stalks
• 1 handfuls of chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
• Zest of ½ an organic lemon, washed
• 2 TBSPs capers
• 2 TBSPs golden raisins the black ones aren’t as good
• ½ – 1 fresh chili pepper or corresponding amount or chili flakes or Rimoco harissa mix
• 1-2 tsp Zataar or Cajun or Köfte spice mix
• 1 tsp sugar or 1 sugar cube
• 1 TBSP red vinegar
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive oil

“Before serving” ingredients:

Please see notes above about when to add these seasonings – as a reminder when serving warm right before serving, when serving cold after overnight refrigeration:

• Lightly pan-roasted (no oil) pine nuts or chopped pistachios
• Fresh mint leaves, washed and chopped
• Fresh basil leaves, washed and chopped
• Lemon juice to taste
• Salt, pepper, chili to taste

Instructions for 3 cooking variations:

1. With the pressure cooker or Krups COOK4ME

• Wash, peel (except eggplants) and chop all vegetables into bite size cubes. Peel and finely chop onion and garlic. Wash the herbs and chop or remove leaves according to the ingredient list.
• Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of the pressure cooker or COOK4ME, then add all the ingredients in the caponata list. Stir to combine. Put the lid on and close tightly.
• Pressure cooking time is 20 minutes on the medium ring for the pot, on the COOK4ME timer. Then turn off the heat and DO NOT open the lid but let rest as is for at least 1 hour. Open the lid carefully.
• If you are making warm pasta sauce, season as stated above in “Before serving” and serve warm on pasta with grated cheese, Pecorino or Parmegiano.
• If being used as a cold condiment, place it in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. If the caponata seems too liquid on the next day, pour out some of it before seasoning according to “Before serving”.
• Serve caponata with grilled meats, vegetables or fruit along with baguette or pita bread. It is also a great dip with salty warmed tortilla chips.

2. In the oven method

• Wash, peel (except eggplants) and chop all vegetables into bite size cubes. Peel and finely chop onion and garlic. Wash the herbs and chop or remove leaves according to the ingredient list.
• Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of an oven-proof Dutch oven or lidded casserole, then add all the ingredients in the caponata list. Stir to combine. Put the lid on and close tightly.
• Bake at 180° C / 350° F for 1 hour. Carefully check if the carrots are soft, if not reseal and bake another 30 minutes.
• Then turn off the heat or remove from the oven and DO NOT open the lid but let rest as is for at least 1 hour. Open the lid carefully.
• If you are making warm pasta sauce, season as stated above in “Before serving” and serve warm on pasta with grated cheese, Pecorino or Parmegiano.
• If being used as a cold condiment, place it in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. If the caponata seems too liquid on the next day, pour out some of it before seasoning according to “Before serving”.
• Serve caponata with grilled meats, vegetables or fruit along with baguette or pita bread. It is also a great dip with salty warmed tortilla chips.

3. On the stove/range method

• Wash, peel (except eggplants) and chop all vegetables into bite size cubes. Peel and finely chop onion and garlic. Wash the herbs and chop or remove leaves according to the ingredient list.
• Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven or lidded casserole pot, heat oil on medium heat and add all the ingredients in the caponata list. Stir once or twice just to combine (don’t over stir or it will be mush), bring to a light boil then lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour on a low simmer without stirring. Carefully check if the carrots are soft, if not reseal and simmer another 20-30 minutes.
• Then turn off the heat or remove from the oven and DO NOT open the lid but let rest as is for at least 1 hour. Open the lid carefully.
• If you are making warm pasta sauce, season as stated above in “Before serving” and serve warm on pasta with grated cheese, Pecorino or Parmegiano.
• If being used as a cold condiment, place it in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. If the caponata seems too liquid on the next day, pour out some of it before seasoning according to “Before serving”.
• Serve caponata with grilled meats, vegetables or fruit along with baguette or pita bread. It is also a great dip with salty warmed tortilla chips.

Bonus recipes: Grilled fruit as appetizers served with caponata

1. BBQ’ed bacon-wrapped peaches

• Wash, peel and quarter peaches, wrap bacon around the middle, 1 slice each. Sprinkle with your favorite spice mix if you want them spicy or simply with ground pepper for milder. BBQ until bacon is crunchy and serve with caponata.

2. BBQ’ed spicy pineapple slices
   • Peel, core and slice (not too thin so the slices don’t break when marinating or grilling) 1-2 fresh, ripe pineapples.
   • Mix rice oil or other oil with a high smoking point – with Jamaican Jerk Spice, fresh thyme leaves removed from their stalks, and 2 pinches of salt.
   • Marinate the slices at least 30 minutes, then BBQ and serve with the caponata.

This recipe appears in a step-by-step photo story version on Steller – see it below.