Serious Eats: Recipes
Dinner Tonight: Eggplant Caponata
I've been counting down the days until I could make a real ratatouille. Though I've found a great recipe, success is almost purely based on the ripeness of the ingredients, and tomatoes only just started to have any real flavor in the Midwest. But I came across this eggplant caponata from Blue Kitchen. It's essentially an Italian variation of ratatouille, but with briny capers and golden raisins to give it a little kick.
The difference with this variation of caponata is the attention to detail. The trick? Treat everything as gently as possible. So, the eggplant cubes are cooked until browned on all sides and tender, but not until they turn to mush. Same deal with the tomatoes, which are just cooked quickly for two minutes. The result is a vibrant and colorful spread that's great with bread, pita, or simply by itself.