Caponata

The Festive Cake was pretty good, if you like that sort of thing. We do, but we still have quite enough to be going on with, thank you.

So, although I have no pictures because it was all consumed without any concern for blogging, I thought I'd share the recipe for Caponata that was made for 25th December.

There was one problem, when I went to buy aubergines the shops were devoid of the plump purple fruits, not one to be found anywhere (well, anywhere I chose to go) so I forked out for some hothouse courgettes and substituted, and do you know, it wasn't at all bad. As you might guess, the following recipe is pretty much variable to taste. If you can get aubergines they are traditional. Make sure they are really well cooked in plenty of oil or it will be nasty.

For enough caponata for at least eight take three courgettes (the 15cm sort), 1 large onion, 2 red peppers, 1 yellow pepper, 1 green pepper, 4 celery stalks, about 150g baby tomatoes (cherry or plum), 100g pine kernels, 1 tbsp. raisins (plumped in hot water), 2 tbsp. capers (rinsed and dried), olives; black and green to taste, stones removed, 4 tbsp. vinegar (I used 3 of cider and 1 of balsamic), salt and pepper. Lots and lots of olive oil.

Toast the pine kernels in a hot pan until delicious and set to one side to cool.

Slice the peeled onion in half through the root and then slice from root to stalk end to make long narrow strips. Fry until softened and very slightly coloured in a good splash of oil. Remove to a large mixing bowl.

String your celery (this is important) Divide the stalks longways if they are large and cut into small pieces, about 1cm long. Gently fry in the same pan you used for the onions with a little more oil if necessary until heated through but still quite crisp and green. Remove to the mixing bowl.

Cut your courgettes into neat slices. I used a ridged griddle to cook these because I love the patterns it makes but you can just use the frying pan again. Remove cooked courgette (it should still be a little firm) to the mixing bowl.

Cut the peppers away from the seeds and divide the flesh into squares, about 1.5 cm each side. Or whatever you fancy. I tried griddling these but they took a long time. The frying pan is your friend.

Finally, quickly fry off your halved baby tomatoes and before they soften too much add them to the bowl.

When all the vegetables are in the mixing pan (don't forget the aubergine) then add the pine nuts, the raisins, capers, olives, vinegar and freshly ground black pepper. Add a little salt, the capers and olives will be salty already. Stir well to combine.

This is better for being made the day before it is needed to allow the flavours to meld. In fact, it will keep for a week in the fridge and leftovers are great for topping pizza if it lasts that long.

Allow to come to room temperature before serving with some crusty bread.

Hope you all had a good holiday. My NY's resolution is to start blogging regularly again, but we'll just have to see how that goes.