California Caponata Recipes

PEPPER CAPONATA

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the broiler.
• Put the red peppers on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little oil and rub to coat the peppers lightly; season with salt and black pepper. Broil skin-side up until blackened. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let steam until cool, at least 15 minutes. Discard the skins and cut into chunks.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat; add the peppers, raisins, capers and vinegar and toss to combine. Season with salt and black pepper. Toss with the arugula and serve.

CAPONATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, toss the eggplant generously with olive oil and salt, to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the eggplant is soft and mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve.
• Coat a wide deep pot with olive oil. Toss in the onion and crushed red pepper and season with salt, to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the fennel, celery and garlic and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the peppers and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the zucchini, season with salt, to taste, and cook until the zucchini and all the veggies are soft and aromatic and starting to come together as a stew, about 5 to 6 minutes. Toss in the eggplant, 1/2 cup of water and the tomato paste. Cook until the water has evaporated. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a small bowl and add it to the mixture. Stir in the raisins, capers, pine nuts and mint. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.
• Let cool and transfer the caponata to a serving bowl. Serve immediately or even better tomorrow or the next day.

MUSHROOM CAPONATA

Steps:

• In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, saute green peppers and onion in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil for 10 minutes or until golden brown., Add half the mushrooms and remaining butter and oil; saute until tender. Remove onion mixture and set aside. Saute remaining mushrooms until tender. Return all to the pan. Cover and simmer over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. , Add the olives, vinegar, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 10 minutes., Serve warm or at room temperature with bagel chips or baguette slices.