Linda’s Summertime Eggplant Salsa

This recipe is a variation of Sicilian Caponata, which is an eggplant relish served in Sicily as a topping for brushetta or as a condiment served with meat or fish. My family loves it as a dip for tortilla chips or even by the spoonful (if no one’s looking!). Be sure to microwave the eggplant, or it will absorb too much oil and become mushy.

Original recipe makes 8 cups

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
 
1 cup tomato-vegetable juice cocktail (such as V8®)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 anchovy fillets, minced, or to taste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup pitted black olives, chopped
1/2 cup pitted green olives, chopped
1/2 cup zucchini, diced
1/2 cup yellow squash, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup grated carrot
 
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • PREP

    30 mins

  • COOK

    30 mins

  • READY IN

    3 hrs

Directions

  1. Toss the eggplant with the kosher salt and spread out onto a microwave-safe plate. Cook in the microwave on High until the eggplant is dry and has shriveled to 1/3 of its original size, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
  2. Whisk the tomato juice cocktail, vinegar, red wine, brown sugar, parsley, and anchovies together in a large bowl. Stir in the tomatoes, raisins, black olives, green olives, zucchini, yellow squash, celery, red bell pepper, and carrot; set aside.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges have browned, 4 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the celery and onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened, about 4 minutes more. Stir in the vegetable mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until the liquid thickens and begins to coat the vegetables, 4 to 7 minutes more. Scrape into a bowl and stir in the pine nuts. Refrigerate to room temperature. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 56 kcal
Carbohydrates: 5.3 g
Cholesterol: < 1 mg
Fat: 3.2 g
Fiber: 1.4 g
Protein: 1.5 g
Sodium: 191 mg