Sicilian Caponata Recipe

By Eben Copple, Yardley Inn Executive Chef

When summer rolls around, I always think of caponata, a dish of cooked and marinated summer vegetables served room-temperature as a side dish or antipasto just about everywhere in Italy. Each region has their specific quirks based on what kind of produce they have available and what the taste of the region is. The classic caponata comes from Sicily. With its Moorish influences, Sicily has a food culture well versed in using off-the-wall spices, fruits, and citrus in their savory dishes. All of this is evident in my recipe for the caponata.

Ingredients
1 large eggplant
1 large zucchini
1 large yellow squash
1 large red onion
2 medium tomatoes, seeded
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
¼ cup dry black currants
¼ cup capers, drained
¼ cup green olives, chopped
1 small bunch fresh basil, chiffonade
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
The juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper, and sugar to taste

Instructions
Dice all the vegetables about the same size. They can be large or small depending on what you want to do with it (usually, if you’re going to serve the caponata as a side dish, you’ll want the veggies diced larger than if you want it as an antipasto). Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add a bit of olive oil to the pan and sauté the vegetables, individually and in small enough batches that the pan is not crowded, until they are cooked through and have a bit of color. Continue cooking in batches until all the vegetables are done. You don’t need to cook the tomatoes. Spread the veggies out on a baking sheet and allow to cool to room temperature. Mix all the ingredients together and season to taste with salt, pepper, and sugar. Serve as an antipasto with crostini or with any type of grilled fish. It goes particularly well with grilled swordfish or tuna.

Enjoy!

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