This recipe was handed down from my grandmother. Whenever she prepares it, she says ‘This is your grandfather’s recipe…’ Eggplant caponata is traditionally (in my family, anyway) served cool with crusty Italian bread as an appetizer.
I happen to love it (as do family/friends) served hot over pasta. Pictured above (in the background) with linguine, it is also well suited for mezze penne – or any pasta for that matter. It also makes a great filling for a ciabatta sandwich. Truly delightful served as you fancy.
Ingredients
- 1/3 c olive oil
- 1 medium vidalia onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tender stalks celery
- 2 small eggplants
- 2 large bell peppers*
- 1 c sliced mushrooms
- 1-2 c small pitted black olives
- 1 small can tomato sauce
- 1 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. oregano
- 1/2 tsp. basil
- splash lemon juice
- salt/pepper to taste
- red crushed hot pepper (optional)
Directions
I really don’t care for involved directions…so: Chop everything up. Put the olive oil in a big iron skillet and saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the other ingredients one at a time in the order listed. Serve hot or cold. Like most things, it tastes better after sitting in the fridge a day or two.
The great thing about this recipe is that you can substitute/omit certain ingredients at will and it still tastes amazing. I’ve never made it the same way twice – and enjoy getting adventurous with the spices depending on who I’m making it for.
This week’s Illustration Friday topic is: Remedy. I immediately thought of the headaches that arrive the morning after a crazy Fourth of July Celebration here in the States. Those of you who are musically inclined might notice the reference to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy…
“#Trust30 (Self-Reliance) is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself.” Today’s Challenge: Fault and Change
I must be myself. I cannot break myself any longer for you, or you. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Think of all the things that are not working in your life. That job you don’t like, that relationship that’s not working, those friends that annoy you. Now turn them all on you. Imagine that everything that’s not working in your life, is your fault. How would you approach it? What would you work on to change your life to the state that you want it to be?
I’m not going to be so quiet anymore. Fair warning.
“#Trust30 (Self-Reliance) is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself.” Today’s Challenge: Image
Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Mess up your hair. If you are wearing makeup – smudge it. If you have a pair of pants that don’t really fit you – put them on. Put on a top that doesn’t go with those pants. Go to your sock drawer. Pull out two socks that don’t match. Different lengths, materials, colors, elasticity.
Now two shoes. You know the drill.
Need to add more? Ties? Hair clips? Stick your gut out? I trust you to go further.
Take a picture.
Get ready to post it online.
Are you feeling dread? Excitement? Is this not the image you have of yourself? Write about the fear or the thrill that this raises in you? Who do you need to look good for and what story does it tell about you? Or why don’t you care?
I understand the purpose of this exercise, but I think it makes our audience seem a bit shallow. I try not to spend time with people/groups that place value on appearance. Yes, it’s sometimes important to ‘look the part’ and conform to the norms, but in general I place a lot more worth on people expressing their authentic selves. Besides, what’s the point of weary funky mismatched socks if you have pants (however ill fitting) covering them up!? ;-)
Here you will find the spoils of random conversations held between us, ourselves and we. Some of our interests are constant - others are constantly changing. It is our hope that you will find a topic of interest or, at the very least, get a chuckle from all of this rambling.
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Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking. Albert Einstein
