Fruit Caponata

Fruit Caponata

As you may know, I’m a huge fan of Sicily and their regional cuisine. My wife and I had many servings of caponata as we traveled the island, and though spectacularly varied in flavor, they were chiefly the same ingredients, eggplant, capers, celery (which Lisa removed from her portions), tomatoes, etc. But in the town of Rosolini I had something entirely different, a caponata made of fruit, served alongside a grilled veal ribeye.

Here is my take, summer fruits stewed with wine vinegar, honey, and olive oil. It’s a supremely versatile condiment, bright and freshly acidic, with a deep but forgiving sweetness. August is nearing the end of king salmon season, and I made a lovely meal of caponata served with a simply seared fillet, plus fluffy basmati rice with toasted almonds. A sprinkle of Izak N37 ties all the flavors together perfectly.

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