{"id":14542,"date":"2014-07-17T12:58:35","date_gmt":"2014-07-17T19:58:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/?p=14542"},"modified":"2014-07-23T11:02:08","modified_gmt":"2014-07-23T18:02:08","slug":"summer-caponata","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/summer-caponata","title":{"rendered":"summer caponata"},"content":{"rendered":"

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a successful vacation (by Oscar Wilde)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

summer caponata<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Vacation. Actually, it is more like this VACATION !\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This year I thought I would try something new: take a vacation and NOT work. You know get\u00a0out of the kitchen, enjoy the cooking of others (often), step out of my routine, and detach from my computer. So far so good. Oscar Wilde said that \u201cmoderation is a fatal thing [and] nothing succeeds like excess.<\/i><\/span>\u201d By Mr. Wilde\u2019s standard, I have been highly successful in my vacation thus far.<\/span><\/p>\n

It began when my local fromagier<\/i> informed me that I had filled the stamps in my carte fidelite <\/i>(a frequent purchaser card … like you have at Pinkberry). After 25 purchases, in an unspecified amount of time, I was treated to free cheese. Excusez-moi ?<\/i> Mais oui ! FREE (FRENCH) CHEESE ! So I proudly skipped home with my whole round of Saint F\u00e9licien, a creamy cow\u2019s milk cheese which is in season right now (Saint-Marcellin <\/i>is really my favorite but given that it is VACATION, I went for the creamier Saint F\u00e9licien <\/i>to mix things up a bit). It has been a down-hill slippery slope from there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To go with the cheese, I needed bread. Bread, daily, in all shapes and varieties. To go with the bread and cheese, I needed some p\u00e2t\u00e9 de foie gras<\/i>, plain, layered, and en co\u00fbte (for comparison, you know, who makes the smoothest one without blemishes).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The bottom of my vacation food pyramid which resembles the color of a toddler\u2019s diet, is dessert. Pierre Herm\u00e9\u2019s<\/i> summer macarons with his yogurt and fruit flavors and Aoki Sadaharu\u2019s<\/i> pastries using Japanese flavors. Miam !<\/em>\u00a0Alain Ducasse\u2019s NEW chocolate shop with its perfectly packaged chocolats<\/i> in a range of percentages and from various regions and the top shelf chocolat<\/i>, the \u201cprimiere cru<\/i>\u201d (who know chocolat<\/i> has a premiere cru<\/i>?). More maim<\/em> ! Profiteroles at Caf\u00e9 Flores. Victor & Hugo\u2019s mille-feuille<\/i> and then the sampling of the same desserts at other places for \u201ccomparison.\u201d The chocolate tasting tour I gave my daughters was merely gratuitous and a highly unnecessary exercise in gluttony (sampling chocolat from 8 chocolatiers) but without regret. There are more pictures of these temptations in my IG gallery which you can access from this home page (I mean, who does anything anymore without photographing it and posting it on IG right)? I jest. Kind of.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"chef<\/p>\n

Then the overwhelming craving for vegetables came as I knew it would. Vegetables that have not been cooked or finished with butter or cream.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"chef<\/p>\n

Vegetables prepared like they do in the Mediterranean where my palate generally lies. \u00a0I saw these at the march\u00e9.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"chef<\/p>\n

I made caponata.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Caponata is the Sicilian version of France\u2019s ratatouille but with primarily eggplant, olives, and capers. It is easy to prepare and versatile in its presentation. You can use it as a side dish to accompany any<\/i> kind of meat OR fish, it can be a light meal in itself, or you can use it for a sandwich or to top a tartine (they make nice appetizers). You can even pur\u00e9e it into a sauce for pasta.<\/span><\/p>\n

I have not made Caponata for a while for no reason in particular. It was one of those things I would make for gatherings if I was asked to bring a last minute side dish because it is a crowd pleaser and it travels well (meaning you can take it to the Hollywood Bowl for your concert or to the beach for a picnic).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"chef<\/p>\n

The caponata leftovers came with us on the train to the Provence and we enjoyed it for lunch. It tastes even better the next day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As I type this, watching the haystacks and grazing goats zing past my head, a French toddler in front of us is singing in English \u201cEverything is Awesome … Everything is Cool.<\/i>\u201d \u00a0My girls look at me and smile. They recognize the song and my youngest joins in and mouths the words. I find the genuine enthusiasm for the simple lyrics endearing and correct. They are right. Everything is AWESOME, especially on vacation !\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

bon vacances<\/i> !\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

LM<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"chef<\/p>\n

summer caponata<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Caponata is a Sicilian speciality similar to France\u2019s Ratatouille.\u00a0 It can be used as a side or a main course. Caponata can be a topping on bread for a tartine or on a toasted crouton (crostini) for a passed appetizer. It can also be tossed with pasta or pur\u00e9ed and used as a pasta sauce. For proper cooking and a nice appearance, dice the vegetables the same size.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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serves 6 – 8 (as a side)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

1 eggplant<\/span>
\n1 zucchini <\/span>
\nolive oil, as needed <\/span>
\ngros sel de Gu\u00e9rande (or sea salt), as needed<\/span>
\nfreshly ground black pepper, as needed<\/span><\/p>\n

1 red or orange bell pepper<\/span>
\n2 ripe tomatoes<\/span>
\n2 garlic cloves, minced<\/span>
\n1 white onion, diced<\/span>
\n1\/4 cup chopped black cured olives<\/span>
\n1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed <\/span>
\nsmall fresh basil leaves, to taste<\/span>
\n1 tablespoon fresh chopped Italian parsley<\/span>
\nsmall fresh marjoram leaves, optional<\/span><\/p>\n

\"summer<\/p>\n

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