Eggplant Caponata

I made this for myself when I took off on a spontaneous, and completely unnecessary, trip to our neighborhood bakery one day. Side note: How cute is it that we have a “neighborhood bakery”?! — I always find myself there, especially on days when our fridge is already full and I have absolutely no reason to buy a fresh-baked piece of heaven. Sometimes, I just can’t help but to think of the warm, crusty, tasty piece of goodness (gluten) that I can get my hands on.

I don’t have a problem, I swear.

Anyway, I make my most delicious recipes when I am thinking the least. I open my fridge, see what I have, then go from there. That’s how this tasty tapas plate came to fruition. Well, that, and fresh bake bread that I absolutely didn’t need (but wanted oh so badly). I hope you enjoy as much as I did that day.

Eggplant Caponata

large eggplant

onion

red bell pepper

large tomato

capers

olives

olive oil

white wine vinegar (or other light vinegar)

salt and pepper

pinch of sugar

1. Roast the eggplant until semi-soft and let it cool. Grilling is also an option. (y’all, I don’t bullshit with my recipes. Just, cook the thing.)

2. Once the eggplant has cooled, chop it up coarsely and set it aside.

3. Next, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add half a chopped onion and garlic. Cook them until soft, and fragrant. About 5 minutes.

4. Add in a full red bell pepper, chopped. Stir, and cook another 5 minutes, until the peppers become soft.

5. Add the chopped eggplant in with the onion, garlic, and pepper mixture. Stir for another few minutes until all the vegetables become soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Chop the tomatoes and add it to the pan. Stir and cook down for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes has softened and created a very thick sauce-like base.

7. Turn off the heat and add the capers, vinegar, pinch of sugar, and chopped olives. Stir until well combined.

8. Pour mixture into a bowl and serve with crusty bread or a crostini. This can also cool and be served cold over fish, bread, or as a side. (10/10 recommend on summer days).