Sicilian Eggplant Caponata

Dice the eggplants into 1-inch cubes.

Place the diced eggplant in a strainer and season liberally with kosher salt. Toss to combine.

Let the eggplant sit in the strainer over a sink or bowl for 20 minutes to draw out moisture.

While the eggplant rests, strain the can of San Marzano tomatoes, reserving the puree. Crush the whole tomatoes with your hands and set aside 1/2 cup of the reserved puree.

Roughly chop the Spanish onion into chunks. Peel the strings from the celery stalks and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Thinly slice the garlic clove.

After 20 minutes, transfer the eggplant to a clean kitchen towel and pat thoroughly dry. Do not rinse.

In a small bowl, combine the white wine vinegar and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves and set aside.

Heat about 1/3 cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in two batches, add half the eggplant to the pan. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Remove the first batch of eggplant to a paper towel-lined baking sheet using a slotted spoon. Add a bit more olive oil to the pan and cook the second batch of eggplant until golden. Remove to the baking sheet.

Add a little more olive oil to the same skillet. Add the chopped onion and celery, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened.

Add the sliced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the crushed tomatoes, the 1/2 cup of reserved puree, the halved olives, and the rinsed, chopped capers to the skillet. Stir to combine.

Return all the cooked eggplant to the skillet.

Pour the vinegar and sugar mixture over the caponata. Season lightly with more kosher salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.

Bring the mixture to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Remove from heat and stir in fresh chopped parsley and mint. Serve at room temperature.