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(Caponata alla Siciliana)

SERVES 8

Eggplant is an extremely popular vegetable in Sicily, used in scores of ways, and sweet-and-sour flavors, as in this salad, are common to the island's cuisine.

3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium eggplants, trimmed, peeled,
and cut into small cubes
3 celery stalks, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped (optional)
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar
3⁄4 cup capers
1 tbsp. pine nuts
1    6-oz. can oil-packed tuna, drained and broken
   up with a fork
1⁄2 bunch parsley, finely chopped

1. Heat oil in a large, nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes.

2. Transfer eggplant to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low, add celery and onions to skillet, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add tomatoes to skillet, if using. Cover skillet and cook 10 minutes more. Return eggplant and all the accumulated juices to skillet.

3. Meanwhile, stir together vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute, then add to eggplant. Stir capers and pine nuts into skillet, cover, and cook 5 minutes more. Remove skillet from heat and set aside to cool, then mix in tuna and parsley. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #31