The Best of Fine Cooking — Real Italian 2017

appetizers

zesty lemon

olives

Lemon and herbs turn ordi-

nary olives into something

special. Make a batch or two

to have on hand when guests

drop by; they’ll keep in the

refrigerator for a few weeks.

Yields 1 pint

1 pint oil- or brine-packed

olives, green or black or a mix

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

Several sprigs of rosemary

or thyme

1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, lightly

crushed

4 or 5 cloves garlic, cut in half

lengthwise

big pinch of dried red chile

flakes (optional)

2 medium lemons

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

If using brine-packed olives,

drain them. In a medium bowl,

combine the olives, salt, pepper-

corns, bay leaves, herb sprigs,

fennel seeds, garlic, and chile

flakes, if using. Zest the lemons

in whatever size zest you like: a

mix of finely grated zest for the

brightest flavor and larger strips

for color is nice. Add the zest and

oil to the olives and mix well. Pour

and scrape into a covered jar and

refrigerate overnight to let the

flavors mingle before serving.

Tangy-sweet caponata is best made a day ahead so its flavors have time to mingle.

Serve at room temperature with pita chips or other crisps as a snack or hors

d’oeuvre. It keeps for about a week in the refrigerator. Yields about 4 cups

1 medium eggplant (about 11/2 lb.),

unpeeled, top and bottom trimmed

Kosher salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; more as needed

3 large inner ribs celery, sliced crosswise

1/2 inch thick

1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes (with their

juices)

2 Tbs. red-wine vinegar

4 tsp. granulated sugar

2 anchovy fillets, minced (optional)

1/4 cup green olives, pitted and slivered

3 Tbs. drained and rinsed capers (coarsely

chopped if large)

Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Spread

the cubes on a baking sheet lined with paper

towels, sprinkle with 1 Tbs. salt, and let sit for

1 hour. Pat dry with more paper towels; there’s

no need to rinse.

Heat the oil in a small Dutch oven or large

saucepan over medium-high heat until hot.

Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan,

fry the eggplant, stirring occasionally, until

deep golden brown on several sides, 5 to

6 minutes per batch. Adjust the heat as

needed to keep the oil hot but not smoking.

Transfer each batch with a slotted spoon to

dry paper towels to drain.

Reduce the heat to medium, and if the pan

is dry, add 1 Tbs. oil. Add the celery, sprinkle

with salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until

softened with just a hint of crunch, about

5 minutes. Transfer the celery to a bowl. If the

pan is dry, add 1 Tbs. oil. Add the peppers,

sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring frequently,

until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to the

bowl with the celery.

If the pan is dry, add another 1 Tbs. oil.

Add the onion, sprinkle with salt, and cook,

stirring frequently, until softened and starting

to brown around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium high and pour

in the tomatoes and their juices. Add the

vinegar, sugar, and anchovies, if using. Bring

to a vigorous simmer and cook until the juices

have thickened slightly to the consistency

of tomato soup, 3 to 5 minutes. Add all the

cooked vegetables and the olives and capers.

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for

another 5 minutes. Let cool completely and

then cover and refrigerate overnight. Before

serving, bring to room temperature and add

salt to taste.

sweet and sour eggplant relish (caponata)

34 ReAL ITALIAn 2017