Eggplant Caponata

Eggplant Caponata
Originally uploaded by suebobdavis.

Ok, I lied about using the Thai eggplants for Eggplant and Peas Charchari. I made caponata instead. I didn't follow a recipe, just tossed a bunch of stuff in a heavy pan.

After I posted this, Bob Shanbrom correctly pointed out the thing that was missing – he said caponata is always a sweet and sour dish -- this could have used a little wine vinegar to bump up the flavors and turn it into "real" caponata.

I will recreate it as much as possible:

Eggplant Caponata Recipe
3 Tbsp fruity Spanish olive oil
3 whole cloves garlic
3 large shallots, sliced fine
12 tiny seedy Thai eggplants
1 whole roasted red bell pepper
2 cubes frozen minced basil
(the above 2 items from Trader Joes)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp. capers packed in oil
Salt
Pepper

Warm the garlic in the oil over medium heat, then slowly saute the shallots until they were limp. Quarter the eggplants (they were all less than 2 inches in diameter) and saute them until soft and brown.

Toward the end, add the roasted red pepper, chopped in small squares about 1/2". Add the tomato paste and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.

Take the caponata off the heat and add the capers, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on bread or crackers.