Black Garlic Kitchen

Black Garlic Caponata

A Sicilian sweet-sour caponata of stewed aubergines, tomatoes, olives, capers and sultanas intensified with the addition of Black Garlic.

black garlic caponata

Prep: 20 mins + salting | Cook: 45 mins | Serves: 2 as a main or 4 as an antipasto | V | Ve

Ingredients

  • 2 large aubergines (approx. 500g) – cut into 2cm cubes
  • Table salt
  • 8 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large red onion – peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 sticks celery – finely sliced
  • 2 cloves white garlic – crushed
  • 1 x 400g tin peeled plum tomatoes in tomato juice – chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tbsp Black Garlic Paste
  • 3 tbsp Black Garlic Infused Balsamic Vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tbsp Black Garlic Sugar or caster sugar
  • 25g capers – rinsed
  • 50g pitted black olives – roughly chopped
  • 50g sultanas
  • 6 cloves Black Garlic – chopped
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
Garnish
 
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts – toasted in a dry pan until golden brown
  • Handful of fresh basil leaves – chopped

Method

  • Put the cubed aubergine in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the juices. Press the aubergine gently to remove as much water as possible. Rinse the aubergine with cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel*.
  • Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, fry the aubergine cubes in batches for 5 minutes until tender and golden but still holding their shape. Transfer the cooked aubergine cubes to a colander to allow the oil to drip out.  
  • Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large casserole or saucepan. Add the onion and celery and gently fry for 10 minutes or until the celery and onions are soft. Add the white garlic and fry over a low heat for a few seconds.
  • Add the tomatoes and their juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomato purée, Black Garlic Paste, vinegar and sugar. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. 
  • Add the capers, olives, sultanas, chopped Black Garlic and cooked aubergine. Simmer for 5 – 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but not mushy, stirring gently so the vegetables do not break up. 
  • Add chopped parsley, taste and adjust the seasoning at the end of the cooking time once all the ingredients are in the caponata. 
  • Garnish with toasted pine nuts and chopped basil.
 

To Serve: BGK’s Black Garlic Caponata works well served on bruschetta as an antipasto: heat a griddle pan, drizzle slices of ciabatta with olive oil, char on both sides then rub with a clove of white garlic. Spoon over the caponata.

Top Tip:* aubergines can be bitter; sprinkling with salt for 30 minutes will degorge the aubergines, extracting the moisture and drawing out any bitter juices. Aubergines soak up oil like a sponge; salting also helps reduce the amount of oil which is absorbed. Rinse away any salt and drain well before cooking.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
More Black Garlic Vegetarian Recipes