We suggest you make this a day or two ahead for flavours to marinate and then top with arugula just before serving.
1 large eggplant, unpeeled, about 1 1/2 lbs (750 g)
Salt
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
Half of 28 oz (796 mL) can seasoned diced tomatoes, drained
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/3 cup (80 mL) seedless golden raisins
3 Tbsp (45 mL) red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp (30 mL) capers, rinsed and drained
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup (80 mL) pine nuts, toasted
Crusty whole wheat baguette
Coarse Parmesan shavings
1 cup (250 mL) fresh arugula leaves
Cut unpeeled eggplant into 1/2 in (1.25 cm) cubes. To release some of the bitter juices, toss with salt and place in sieve. Top with plate just small enough to fit snugly inside sieve. Place weight on top, such as a 28 oz (796 mL) can of tomatoes. Set in sink to drain for 30 minutes.
Remove plate. Rinse eggplant with cold running water and pat cubes dry with paper towel.
In large, heavy saucepan heat oil. Add eggplant, onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté until eggplant is soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, diced pepper, raisins, vinegar, and capers. Cover and simmer for a couple of minutes to blend flavours. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Caponata can be made up to this point, covered, and refrigerated overnight if you wish.
Just before serving, stir in basil and pine nuts. Set aside. Cut baguette into 1/2 in (1.25 cm) slices. Lightly toast in oven preheated to 350 F (175 C). Serve caponata spooned onto toasted bread. Top with coarse shavings of Parmesan and top with a little fresh arugula. Serve on platter.
Serves 8.
Each serving contains: 213 calories; 2 g protein; 9 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 28 g carbohydrates (10 g sugars, 6 g fibre); 272 mg sodium
Options
Gluten free: Our suggestion to serve on a crusty whole baguette can easily be substituted with gluten-free bread crisps should there be a request. And if bread is declined altogether, caponata can be scooped onto an endive leaf or zucchini round.
Dairy free: For the dairy-free option, leave out the Parmesan.
To save time: Toasts can also be made ahead and stored in airtight container until ready to serve.
source: "Festive Brunch fo Savour", alive #362, December 2012
Yogurt completely transforms the texture of these chicken thighs, making them tender and flavourful with bright notes of lemon and cilantro. Ideal for a day trip, these can be marinated in the morning and cooked in the evening, but they also work well when cooked in advance and packed for a picnic to be eaten cold. Marinade mentions Marinate chicken thighs for anywhere between 4 and 24 hours. Discard excess marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken. It should not be consumed uncooked.
Citrusy and slightly sour sumac and a touch of maple syrup enliven pickled onions in a perfect complement to this salad. Kale and Napa cabbage stand up for hours to the sweet and puckery dressing, and hearty farro will keep you going while on the road. This salad is sure to be a favourite for picnics, backyard potlucks, or road trip lunch stops. Dressing for dinner This salad stands up well, even while dressed, for up to 4 hours. (Truth be told, I’ve often happily eaten it the next day.) In fact, time helps kale to soften up and become even more delicious. If you’re travelling for a longer period, make the pickled onion dressing as described above: let it stand for about 20 minutes, and then add all the oil and pack it into a separate container so you can finish the salad when you arrive at your destination. The pickled onions are also great with steaks or chicken.
These wraps are perfect for an overnight journey when you want to have something quick and satisfying the next day. Sweet smoked paprika adds just a hint of smoky flavour to sweet potatoes, which join with spinach and red pepper to dress up eggs in a pleasing way. Make these wraps anytime and stick them in the freezer for your next excursion. Pack them frozen and they’ll have time to thaw on the journey, or put them in the fridge the night before you travel so you have something convenient and tasty to eat before you set off. Leave the ketchup bottle behind, and serve them with your own smoky red pepper sauce. Freeze with ease While foil is convenient for freezing and reheating these wraps, to cut down on waste, freeze wraps in a single freezer-proof container. Insert a small piece of parchment between each wrap so they don’t stick together. This will allow you to remove individual wraps easily when you need them.
While sablefish’s texture and fat content stand up admirably to the heat of the grill, this firm fish is also delicious poached. For this recipe, sablefish’s luxurious taste is combined with a light fragrant broth of lemongrass and ginger punctuated with the heat of Thai chili. Sustainability status Sablefish, also known as butterfish or black cod, is a rich and satisfying fish, plentiful in omega-3s and sourced sustainably from the Pacific Northwest. Skin and bones Sablefish has large pin bones. Ideally, your fishmonger will remove them, but if not, before you begin, locate them along the fish’s centreline and, using a pair of needle nose pliers, grasp them firmly to remove. You can leave the skin on for this recipe, which may help the fish hold together a little better while cooking, but it can be tricky to peel the skin away from the cooked fish and discard before plating. I opted to remove the skin first and simply keep a close eye on the cooking time, being careful to remove the fish from the poaching liquid before it flakes apart.