Ingredients
The following ingredients have 2 Servings
- 2 medium eggplants, cut into 2cm dice
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- olive oil, for frying
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large brown onion, roughly chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
- 5 celery stalks, stringed and cut into
- 2cm dice
- 2 tbsp small salted capers, rinsed thoroughly in cold water
- 1/4 cup green olives, pitted and quartered
- 400g tin crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Instruction
- <p><strong>Sprinkle eggplant</strong> with salt and leave for 20 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse off the juices. Dry with paper towel.</p> <p><strong>Pour enough olive oil</strong> in a frying pan to reach 2cm up the sides. When it is hot and just about to start smoking, add eggplant and fry until coloured and soft (about 5 minutes) - you can do this in two batches. Drain eggplant on paper towel.</p> <p><strong>Drain oil</strong> from the pan and add 3 tbsp of fresh extra virgin olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add celery and cook for a further 5 minutes.</p> <p><strong>Return eggplant</strong> to pan then add capers and olives and toss together. Pour in the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and basil. Cook over low heat for 8 minutes.</p> <p><strong>Caponata can be served</strong> straight away or refrigerated to allow the flavours to combine further.</p> <p> </p> <p><em>Photography by William Meppem. Styling by Hannah Meppem. Food preparation by Dominic Smith.</em></p>
