Quote: (09-21-2013 07:40 PM)Art Pimp Wrote:
Great thread thedude3737. If you have a recipe for ratatouille/pisto, I'd love to see it.
While I've made many a ratatouille and pisto manchego, my preference for that type of thing goes toward sicilian Caponata. I've seen many versions of Caponata both here and in Italy; some being large and chunky, others pureed, and everything in between. I've seen some that are stewed, and others that are fried in batches in olive oil. I'm actually a huge fan of the fried-then-stewed method.
4 small japanese eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/4C olive oil
1 medium onion, medium dice
2 stalks celery, medium dice
3 large garlic cloves, sliced thinly
2 red bell peppers, medium diced
1 pound ripe tomatoes, crushed into chunks by hand (if you cant get good tomatoes, canned tomatoes work really well)
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted green olives
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 T pine nuts
2 T dried currants
Heat up the olive oil in a pot until hot but not smoking. Fry the eggplant over medium high heat until it browns lightly. Add the rest of the ingredients, lower the heat to low/medium, cover with a lid, and simmer for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, check the consistency of the stew and the texture of the vegetables. Everything should be very tender and the stew should be thick. If it's watery, reduce it down until it thickens, it should be the consistency of a relish. Season with salt and pepper, and optionally add a few leaves of chiffonade mint at the very end.