Cod Caponata – Sicilian Eggplant Salad
There’s nothing wrong with the classic battered cod with chips but sometimes, you fancy something a bit different. Maybe something a little on the healthy side with a different taste? That’s where this Cod Caponata comes in – cod with Sicilian eggplant salad. So, what’s what, I hear you ask?
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What is caponata?
Caponata is a traditional Sicilian dish that uses eggplants (aubergines) in a cooked vegetable salad. The basic dish includes celery and capers with a sweet and sour sauce alongside the eggplants. There are also loads of variations including one from Palermo with octopus! It is now also popular Tunisian cuisine and there is a similar dish from Naples called cianfotta.
The dish is often seen as one of the highlights of Sicilian cuisine. It uses simple, local ingredients and every restaurant will have its own variation. This means there’s no completely right or wrong way to create it, just to tweak the recipe to suit your tastes.
Recipe tips
When selecting your eggplant, go for one that’s a good size and cut it into cubes around 2cm in size (about half an inch) so they keep their shape. They do tend to absorb a lot of the oil so keep to the recipe amounts to avoid them becoming too greasy when you cook.
If you can’t get your hands on passata (a smooth tomato paste that we usually get in a carton) then you can use strained tomatoes. If you want to keep the smoother texture, then simply pop them through the blender before adding to the recipe.
Cod Caponata – Sicilian Eggplant Salad
A tasty way to serve cod on a traditional Sicilian vegetable salad with eggplants and capers
Ingredients
- 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 2 large celery stalks, diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 2 T. tomato paste
- 1 c. tomato passata
- 3 T. red wine vinegar
- 2 T. capers
- ¼ c. green olives, pitted and sliced
- ¼ c. raisins
- 4 6-oz. cod fillets
- 3 T. fresh parsley leaves, chopped, divided
- 3 T. sliced almonds, toasted, divided
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F / 200C. Line a large baking sheet with greaseproof paper and put to one side.
Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet on a medium heat. Add the onion and celery then season. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add another tablespoon of oil then the garlic and eggplant. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring, until the eggplant cooks down.
Add the tomatoes, paste, passata as well as vinegar, capers, green olives and raisins. Stir to mix and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Brush each cod fillet with olive oil and season. Put them on the baking sheet until the fish is opaque and flakes easily when touched with a fork, usually 12-13 minutes. Don’t overcook as it will become tough.
Remove the lid on the skillet and add two tablespoons of fresh parsley and the toasted almonds. Season as desired and add to serving plates.
Top with the fish, remaining parsley and almonds and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 475Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 570mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 8gSugar: 16gProtein: 44g
