Recipe - Caponata (Eggplant Appetizer)

1 One half pound Unpeeled eggplant, cut in
3/4" cubes.
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
One half cup Olive oil
1 cup Coarsely minced onion
4 Med. sweet red peppers cut
Into 3/4" squares (2 One half c.)
1 cup Celery, coarse dice
8 Med. ripe Italian tomatoes
Pureed to make 2 c. puree.
One fourth cup Red wine vinegar
2 tablespoon Sugar
One half teaspoon Minced garlic
One fourth cup Pitted, cut or sliced up ,black olives
3 tablespoon Capers (smallest available)
Salt and ground black pepper

Sprinkle the eggplant withh the coarse salt and toss the cubes. Let them
drain in a colander for One half hr., then pat dry with paper towels.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Heat olive oil in a 12" skillet and saute onion, peppers, and celery over
med. high heat for 5 min., stirring. Add the eggplant and toss for another
5 min. Add the tomato puree, winer vinegar, sugar, and garlic and stir for
2 min. longer.

In the skillet (if it's ovenproof) or baking dish, bake the caponata,
uncovered for 20 min. Add the olives and capers and stir well. Bake 15
min. more, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Cool the caponata, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate,
covered, for 24 hrs. before serving. Caponata will keep for at least a week
in the 'fridge, or 6 mos. frozen.

Yield: about 6 cups

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini