Caponata – Sicilian Sauteed Eggplant
Caponata is a Sicilian dish of sautéed eggplant and aromatics with tomatoes, olives, raisins, and capers. Great with bread, and as leftovers!
Let’s talk about photography. Specifically, food photography. I have definitely honed my skills over the almost 5 years I’ve been writing this blog.
I have gotten reasonably comfortable shooting with natural light, and I have a setup that works for me with an end table in my living room that is positioned right beside a window. In the summer, I know I can put food there and the pictures will look good well into the afternoon.
Things get a little dicey in the winter. In the winter in Wisconsin, the sun goes down early, and my window for shooting with natural light narrows dramatically. I often find my way around this by cooking in the morning, and taking photos in the early afternoon.
But that doesn’t always work. Sometimes I have to resort to artificial light. I have 2 photography lights that my husband bought me for Christmas one year. I’m not comfortable with them.
Admittedly, it’s probably because I haven’t had as much experience with them. These photos were taken with those artificial lights. I’m still not sure how I feel about them. I’d love to share any artificial light/working around natural light in the winter tips that you might have.
What is Caponata?
Caponata is a delicious Sicilian dish that consists of eggplant sautéed with other vegetables and aromatics like tomatoes, onions, olives, raisins, and capers. It can be served hot, warm, or cool, and is perfect with fresh, crusty bread. It’s even better as leftovers.
I will be the first to admit that I’m not the world’s biggest eggplant fan. Or at least I didn’t used to be. A few foods have changed my opinion about the purple veggie – like Baba Ghanouj, a grilled eggplant gyro from one of my fave local restaurants, and this Caponata.
Eggplant doesn’t really taste like much on it’s own, which is probably why I didn’t used to like it. But when you cook it with super flavorful ingredients like onions, garlic, olives, capers, and raisins, it takes on all those flavors and turns into something special.
How do you make caponata?
Caponata is easy to make, and doesn’t require any special equipment. You will spend some time cutting up all the veggies you’ll use in this dish, so make sure you have a good knife.
Caponata Ingredients:
- Raisins
- Olive oil
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Dried oregano
- Eggplant
- Kosher salt
- Tomatoes
- Pimento or garlic stuffed green olives
- Capers
Want more meatless entrees?
Caponata Nutrition Notes:
Serve with a cooked grain like pasta, rice, or quinoa or with bread. You could also serve with some cooked legumes like chickpeas to add some protein to your meal.
Caponata
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pour hot water over 1/4 cup raisins to cover by at least 1 inch. Soak for at least 10 minutes, or up to several hours. Drain.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped red onions and saute until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in 2 cloves garlic (minced) and 1 teaspoon dried oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chopped eggplant and 1 1/2 pounds eggplant and cook until eggplant is softened, about 10 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, chopped olives, 2 Tablespoons capers, and soaked raisins. Cook until heated through. Serve hot or at room temperature over rice or pasta, or with bread. Tastes even better the next day after flavors have melded.