Caponata alla giudia (aubergine and vegetable stew) recipe
Ingredients
3 aubergines/eggplants
kosher salt
1½ onions
2 celery ribs
10 cherry tomatoes
60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, smashed
6 oz package of mixed mushrooms
200g (1 cup) chopped ripe tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes, with their liquid
½ c mixed black and green olives, pitted
1 tbsp capers
2 ears fresh corn, kernels shaved off
120ml (½ cup) white wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp anchovy paste
sunflower or peanut oil for deep-frying
freshly ground black pepper
5 basil leaves
Step 1
Cut the aubergines into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes. Transfer to a colander, salt generously, weight them down with a plate, and let drain for 30 minutes in the kitchen sink. Brush off whatever salt you can.
Step 2
Cut the half onion into very thin slices. Cut the whole onion into chunks roughly the same size as the aubergine cubes. Cut the celery into chunks and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Step 3
Pour the olive oil into a large non-stick skillet set over medium heat, add the sliced onion and garlic, and cook for about 3 minutes, until the garlic is slightly browned. Add the celery, tomatoes (both cherry and chopped), olives, capers, corn , mushrooms and anchovy paste and the chopped onion to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Step 4
Remove the plate covering the aubergines and squeeze the aubergines in the colander to remove any remaining liquid.
Step 5
Pour 3cm (1 inch) of sunflower or peanut oil into a large saucepan and warm over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 180°C (350°F). You can test the oil by dropping a small piece of food, such as a slice of apple, into it: if it sizzles nicely but doesn’t bubble up too wildly, the oil is ready. (An apple is said to help minimize the smell of the frying oil, so I generally go for that, but any bit of food will do for testing the heat.)
Step 6
Add only as many aubergine cubes to the pan as will fit in a single layer without crowding and fry until golden, turning often. Remove the aubergine with a slotted spoon and spread out on a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Cook the remaining aubergine cubes in the same manner, adding more oil if needed.
Step 7
Once the fried aubergine has drained, add it to the skillet of vegetables. Before adding additional salt, taste the vegetables. If needed, season with ½ tsp salt and pepper to taste, adding a bit of water if the vegetables look dry, and cook the caponata over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
Step 8
Stir in the basil leaves, remove from the heat, and let the caponata cool to room temperature before serving. Scoop the vegetable onto crostini for serving. Also goes well with farro.