Eggplant Caponata

Caponata

I get many requests from my friends for Vegetarian dishes. This is a Sicilian recipe for a sweet and sour eggplant relish that can be served on crackers or crostini. I also use it as a sandwich spread when I make an Italian Hoagie sandwich. Take one bite and you will feel like  you are in Italy…Ciao Baby!

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant (peeled and diced into half-inch cubes) (4 cups)

1 medium onion finely diced

1 stick celery finely diced

4 cloves garlic finely diced

1 – 16 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 cup of coarsely diced Manzanilla olives

1/4 cup coarsely diced black olives

1/4 cup pine-nuts

1/4 cup raisins

3 tablespoons capers

crushed red pepper to taste

Salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

Fresh basil for garnish

Directions:

Heat up a large skillet with olive oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add eggplant in one layer  to pan. Cook for 4 minutes (do not stir). After 4 minutes turn over the eggplant in the pan to brown the other side for an additional 4 minutes. Remove eggplant to a separate bowl and set aside. Add onions and celery to the skillet with additional oil if needed. When the onions have become translucent add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the remaining ingredients to the pan.  Cook at a low simmer for 8 minutes or until the eggplant is tender. Serve at room temperature.

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Viandas con Bacalao – Salt Cod With Tropical Root Vegetables

Viandas con Bacalao  is an “Heirloom” recipe That goes way back in my families history. Whenever my mother makes this she knows that she must call me and my sister or …else! The only way to describe Vianda is to say it is like potato salad with little bits of cod. This recipe contains an assortment of Caribbean root vegetables, plantains and salt cod. Vianda is so easy to make once you have found all of the ingredients. I was able to find them all at a local Latin American food store. The final result was well worth the search. I would like to know if you think you will try this recipe so I know if I should publish more like it, you can let me know by clicking the like button or by leaving  me a comment. Thank you in advance, Renee Lalane A special thanks goes out to my mom (Ann Lalane) for teaching me this recipe. She also assisted me in the production of this blog recipe.  

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless salt cod (bacalao)

1 large Red onion (cut in half and thinly sliced)

3 cups of olive oil

1 cup of red wine vinegar

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

2 green plantains

2 ripe plantains (yellow with a lot of black spots to almost all black)

1 lb. Batata ( Caribbean white sweet potato)

½ lb. piece of peeled Calabaza, (West Indian Pumpkin) cut into  2″ pieces

1 package  Goya frozen Yuca 1 package Goya  frozen Yautia 1 package Goya  frozen Ñame 1 ripe avocado sliced

Cherry tomatoes or tomato wedges for garnish    

I begin by bringing 2 pots of water to a boil(1 large pot and 1 medium size pot). Then I rinse the salt off the cod under running cold water for 1 minute. Then I place cod into a large pot of boiling water.   After 5 minutes I remove the cod from the pot. Save the water in the pot to use for boiling the root vegetables. Then I place the cod into a small bowl of cold water for 20 minutes. This will remove more salt from the cod. At this point you can taste the cod and it should still be just slightly salty.   Then I shred the cod with my fingers into small bite sized pieces and place into a small bowl.   Then I add the onions, oil, vinegar  and black pepper. Toss to combine and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour.   Cut all the plantains in half and remove the ends. Do not peel yet.   Then I peel and quarter the Batata.  Place the all the Plantains  into the small pot of boiling water for 20 – 30 minutes or until fork tender. The reason for boiling the plantains separately is because the skin will release some of the green coloring which would discolor the other vegetables.Then I put the Batata, Calabaza, Yuca, Yautia and Ñame into the large pot of reserved water that had been used to boil the cod. Boil for 30 to 45 minutes or until fork tender. After about 30 minutes start testing the smaller pieces for doneness. They are done when a knife go in and out easily. As they are done cut into bite sized pieces and place into large bowl.   When the plantains are done remove them from the pot and when they are cool enough to handle peel and slice 1” thick. Add the plantain slices to the bowl of root vegetables.   Add the cod mixture to the bowl of boiled vegetables and toss gently. It should have a slightly glossy sheen. Add additional oil if necessary.   Place mixture into individual bowls and top with thin slices of avocado and garnish with cherry tomatoes. I like to drizzle each salad with additional olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar as they are being served.