Jewish caponata

 
                              JEWISH CAPONATA
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Italian                          Appetizers
                 Vegetables
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    3       lb           Eggplant
    1       tb           -salt
      1/4   ts           -pepper
      3/4   c            Olive oil
    2                    Celery stalks -- diced
    1                    Onion -- large, diced
    3                    Peppers, green,red & yellow
                         -cored & diced
    1                    Garlic clove-sliced
    1                    Carrot -- large, peeled &
                         -diced
    2       ts           Flour
    2       lb           Tomatoes -- ripe, peeled* and
                         -cut up
    1       c            Green olives -- pitted,
                         -coarsely chopped
    2       tb           Wine vinegar
    1       t            Sugar
    3                    Basil leaves -- fresh ;-OR
    1       t            -dried Basil
    1       tb           Parsley, Italian -- fresh
                         -chopped
    2       tb           Capers -- drained
 
   Caponata Ebraica * to peel tomatoes, drop them first
   into boiling water for about 1 minute, then in cool
   water and the peel will come off immediately.
   according to the author, "It's hard to believe, -for
   example, that eggplant and fiocchio (fennel), the
   quintessence of Italian cooking, were originally only
   used by Jews." She quotes Pellegrino Artusi in the
   cookbook _Scienza e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene_ published
   in 1910 that forty year earlier (1870s) that eggplants
   and fennel rarely appeared in Florentine markets as
   they were considered to be Jewish food only. Peel and
   dice eggplant. Season with salt & pepper and set aside
   in colander to drain off liquid. Heat the oil in a
   large skillet; add celery, onion, peppers, garlic and
   carrot and cook, uncovered, over moderately high heat,
   stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer
   vegetables to shallow baking dish, but retain the oil.
   Add eggplant to oil in skillet and sprinkle with
   flour. Fry, stirring, over moderate heat, until
   lightly golden. Add to baking dish with vegetables.
   Add tomatoes, green olives, vinegar, sugar, basil and
   parlsey and place in 350F oven for 1/2 hour. Remove
   from oven; mix well, taste for seasonings and add salt
   and pepper if necessary. Add capers, stir and place in
   oven for a couple of minutes longer. Serve hot as a
   side dish or cold as an appetizer. SERVES: 6 as side
   dish or 12 as an appetizer
  
 
 
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