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Sauces
Caponata Sauce
Sauces
Caponata Sauce
Packed with tangy olives and oven-roasted eggplant, this Caponata Sauce delivers bold Mediterranean flavors in every spoonful. Serve with a fresh loaf of your favorite crusty bread for a perfect appetizer, or over pasta as a hearty entrée.
Makes:
6 Pint Jars (16oz)
Prep:
1 Hour and 15 Minutes
Processing Time:
35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 small eggplants, about 2 lb (1 kg) total, stemmed and quartered lengthwise
4 lb (2 kg) fresh plum tomatoes, halved (or use 2 -16 oz (500 mL) jars of home canned tomatoes, chopped or a 28 oz (793g) can of diced tomatoes)
2 red peppers, halved and seeded
Spray oil
2 large onions, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup (60 mL) water
1 ½ cups (375 mL) Castelvetrano green olives or kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
½ cup (120 mL) capers, drained
2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) salt
2 tsp (10 mL) ground black pepper
½ cup (120 mL) red wine vinegar (must be 5% acidity or greater)
DIRECTIONS
FIRST, LET'S PREP!
Pre-heat oven to 375°F / 190°C
Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready to use, do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.
NEXT, TIME TO COOK!
Arrange eggplant quarters and red pepper halves skin up on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with a fine mist of oil, lightly spray both vegetables with a fine mist of oil. Place tomato halves skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Roast all vegetables in oven for 25-30 minutes until skins have softened and are beginning to char. Remove and let cool to room temperature. Once cool enough to handle, peel tomato skins. Chop tomatoes and set aside. Remove eggplant skins, scooping any remaining flesh out with a spoon and discarding skins. Peel red peppers and chop. Set eggplant and peppers aside with tomatoes.
Sautee onions, garlic and celery using a ¼ cup (60 mL) water in place of oil, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients, except eggplant and peppers, and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes; stir in eggplant and peppers, cook an additional 5 minutes.
NEXT, LET'S CAN IT!
Ladle hot caponata into a hot jar leaving a ½ inch (1.25 cm) headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
Process jars 35 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
DID YOU KNOW?
To guarantee the most delicious preserved foods, always begin with the best-quality produce at its peak of ripeness.