Caponata

Caponata from Sicily.... but in this case it's caponata from France, from my friend Claudia. If I was blindfolded, turned round in a circle a few times, taken somewhere unknown, sat down, given a knife and fork, told to eat, I would know I was eating food made by Claudie. There is only one other cook I can say that about and that is someone else I call, Mrs. O. Claudie is a super- duper cook and this is her delicious recipe for one of Italy’s finest dishes.

Ingredients:

4 medium aubergines (eggplant)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, sliced

5 large tomatoes, peeled, chopped

1-tablespoon capers

50gm green olives, pitted, sliced

3 celery sticks cut into 3cm pieces

4-tablespoons wine vinegar

1-tablespoon sugar

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Method:

Sprinkle some salt on the aubergines to allow the juices to run and leave for half an hour in a strainer. Rinse the aubergines and dry on paper towels or a clean cloth then fry in hot oil until brown and tender. Drain on kitchen paper. Fry the onion in the same pan with a little extra oil until it is golden. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Blanch the capers, olives and celery for 1 minute, drain and add to the tomato sauce with the vinegar and sugar. Simmer for a further 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced a little and stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat; add the cooled aubergines and leave to stand for at least 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley just before serving.

Caponata from Sicily.... but in this case it's caponata from France, from my friend Claudia. If I was blindfolded, turned round in a circle a few times, taken somewhere unknown, sat down, given a knife and fork, told to eat, I would know I was eating food made by Claudie. There is only one other cook I can say that about and that is someone else I call, Mrs. O. Claudie is a super- duper cook and this is her delicious recipe for one of Italy’s finest dishes.

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