This eggplant gets sweet, sour thanks to tomatoes
Caponata a perfect accompaniment to meat or fish dish
TBy The Culinary Institute of
America
raditional recipes seem to be part of a collective conscience of sorts, and eggplant caponata is no exception. All around Italy (and the world), chefs and grandmothers and uncles are making a variation of this sweet and sour eggplant dish. And while each region and family has its own variation on method and ingredients, the same overall idea prevails.
In the simplest of terms, eggplant caponata is cooked eggplant and other ingredients in a sweet and sour sauce. Those “other ingredients” can be a number of things, but most commonly include peppers, onions, garlic, raisins, and capers. The beauty of caponata is that it can be made in advance and served at room temperature and it’s a perfect accompaniment to meat or fish or on top of crostini.
In Italian cooking, the combination of sweet and sour flavors is known as agrodolce. It typically refers to a cooked mixture of vinegar and sugar or other sweetener, and can be served over roasted meats, on toasted panini, or as an ingredient in a composed pasta dish. In eggplant caponata, it is the sauce that binds the other ingredients together, giving the dish its characteristic sweet and sour qualities.
In this version, the vegetables are tossed with vinegar and tomatoes, then roasted in a single layer until they are soft and caramelized. Because eggplant holds so much moisture, it is often salted and drained before cooking. Excess moisture in an ingredient can keep it from browning, but will also make the overall dish soggy and less flavorful. Salting the eggplant will help ensure the caramelization that puts the “dolce” in agrodolce.
Eggplant caponata
Makes 10 servings (about 6 cups) Start to finish: 1 hour 45 minutes
(Active time: 15 minutes)
1 eggplant (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into small dice 2 tablespoons salt 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into small dice 3/4 cup minced onion 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 cup olive oil 2 cups canned diced tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons basil chiffonade 1 teaspoon minced marjoram 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 250 F. Place the eggplant in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt, tossing evenly to distribute. Place the salted eggplant in a colander and allow to drain for 20 minutes.
Quickly rinse the eggplant under cool water, then place on paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
In a large bowl, combine the eggplant with the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and oil and toss to combine. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and toss to thoroughly combine.
Spread the vegetable mixture evenly on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
Remove the pan from the oven and add the basil, marjoram, and vinegar. Gently fold the ingredients together.
Transfer the caponata to a glass or stainless steel container with a lid. Let cool to room temperature, then stir in the cheese. Refrigerate the caponata in a covered glass or stainless steel container for up to a week. The flavor will improve if the caponata is allowed to rest for at least 24 hours before use.
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Phish announced its 13show run in New York with a video in January that showed giant doughnuts rolling through the city.
That got Felicia D’Ambrosio’s phone buzzing, with calls from friends hoping that might mean a role for the Phish superfan and co-owner of a Philadelphia doughnut and fried chicken shop that had made doughnuts dedicated to the band in the past.
“Well, no, I don’t want to work on Phish tour,” thought D’Ambrosio, who has been to more than 100 shows.
Then came the request. From the band. Time to make the doughnuts. Doughnuts are everywhere in Phish’s “Baker’s Dozen” residency at Madison Square Garden, which kicked off last week and lasts until Aug 6, from the tickets to a huge mural to the thousands of Federal Donuts being given out to fans each night. The band is even working each night’s custom flavor into its setlists.
The band “never stops surprising me and delighting me and I trust them,” D’Ambrosio said. “To us at Federal Donuts, it’s this weird collaboration of this thing you love and this thing you love.”
Phish doesn’t need gimmicks to draw fans to their mostly sold-out shows, but they are known for playful gags on stage. One song features guitarist Trey Anastasio and bass player Mike Gordon performing while jumping on trampolines, and drummer Jon Fishman’s other instruments include a vacuum cleaner.
It was Fishman’s standard outfit — a blue dress covered with red doughnut shapes — that first inspired D’Ambrosio to whip up The Fishman — a blue vanilla raspberry doughnut with a pink glaze — ahead of a 2015 show.
Mark Welker, the executive pastry chef at New York’s Eleven Madison Park and NoMad, took notice of the Fishman doughnut and another Federal Donuts creation, The Fluffhead, named for a classic Phish song — and when the band came to him for a recommendation on a doughnut maker for the residency, he recommended D’Ambrosio.
“I knew their doughnuts are really, really good. They’re fans. This is the only option,” Welker said.
The band sent its flavor ideas to Federal Donuts chef Matt Fein, who came up with his interpretations to send back to the band.
“Then they were like, ‘yea, rock and roll, go for it,’” D’Ambrosio said. “It was nice and simple.”
For the Phish strawberry doughnut, Fein said that his muse was a Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake Dessert Bar. He made the shortcake topping out of freeze-dried strawberry and doughnut crumbs.
“It’s neat to get their take on what they wanted and then be able to put my name on it,” Fein said. “Most of the flavors they chose were pretty traditional. That being said, they said growing up they only really had traditional” doughnuts.
Federal Donuts employees are putting in overnight shifts to get the doughnuts made in Philadelphia and shipped up to New York for each show — but Fein said the fact that the band is working the flavor into the show makes the extra work totally worthwhile. (AP)