Eggplant Relish
Caponata
(Yields 6 cups)

A Sicilian favorite. You can also use this dish as a salad, a topping for Bruschetta or over pasta.

2 lbs. eggplant (peeled and 1" cubes)
1-2 T salt
1/2 C olive oil (divided)
2 C celery (fine dice)
3/4 C onion (fine dice)
1/3 C red wine vinegar
4 tsp. sugar
3 C canned plum tomatoes (drained, large chunks)
2 T tomato paste
6 large green olives (seeded and slivered)
2 T capers
4 flat anchovies (rinsed, pounded into paste)
salt to taste
2 T pine nuts (toasted)

Eggplant: preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle eggplant cubes with salt and set in colander to drain for 30 minutes.  Rinse and pat dry.  In a large bowl, toss eggplant with 2 T oil, place on foil-lined baking sheet and bake, covered, 15 minutes till glistening and tender (not mushy).

Assembly: heat remaining 2 T C oil in large skillet, add celery and onion, cooking 10 minutes till soft. Add eggplant mixture and cook, stirring, for another 2-3 minutes. Combine vinegar with sugar and pour into eggplant-onion mixture. Add remaining ingredients (except pine nuts). Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add pine nuts. 

Serve: refrigerate (relish keeps for a good week or more).  Serve chilled or at room temperature with bread or crackers.   (You can also serve it over pasta, hot or cold.)

Tips & Glossary: Italian

Arborio Rice: a medium-grained rice. Its high starch content yields a creamy texture and is the basis for risotto.

Balsamic Vinegar: dark, thick vinegar with a sweet pungent flavor. Fermented, concentrated, and aged in wooden casks, sometimes up to 12 years. Can be pricey.

Caper: salty, pickled bud of spiny shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Most prized is the non-pareil, the smallest (approx. 1/8”), though other sizes are tasty and less expensive.

Formaggio: Cheese! Like France, Italy is a land of sublime cheeses, some 400 varieties. Here are some of the most widely sold in the U.S.
• Asiago (Alpine region; smooth or crumbly, great for grating.)
• Fontina (Alpine region; a Gruyere- or Swiss-type cheese with nutty flavor.)
• Mascarpone (southwest of
Milan; triple-cream, smooth and easily spread; used in Tiramisu.)
• Mozzarella (generic term for semi-soft cheese; “fresh” is eaten the day it is made; “buffalo” is from water buffalo. Used in lasagna and pizza when dried slightly.)
• Parmigiano Reggiano (Parma area; the true Parmesan, whose designation is strictly controlled in Italy.)
• Pecorino Romano (made of sheep’s milk; mostly from Sardinia. A hard, salty cheese used for grating.)
• Provologne (mostly from northern Italy; semi-hard, varying from mild to sharp flavor.)
• Ricotta (made of whey, a by-product of making other cheese; soft and creamy like cottage cheese. Used in lasagna.)
• Romano (an American term for Pecorino Romano and other cheeses.)

Italian Seasoning:  blend of dried herbs used in Italian cooking—marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, and basil. Packaged commercially and found in most food stores.

Pine Nuts:  pinoli or pignoli; edible seeds of pine trees used in pesto sauce. Before cooking, release flavor by lightly browning in a heated skillet.

Plum Tomatoes:  aka Italian tomatoes; oval-shaped. Used in sauces because they are meatier with fewer seeds than standard tomatoes.

Roasted peppers: buy or make your own: place under a broiler, or hold over a gas flame, till skin chars and blisters. Place in a closed paper bag for 15-20 minutes (to steam them). When cool, the skins slip off under water.

Prosciutto:  especially Prosciutto di Parma, dry-cured ham from Parma. The real deal! Cured up to 2 years, is almost sweet and very expensive. You can substitute with capicola, a delicious, light peppery ham.