Sicilian Braised Eggplant and Seared Tuna

This eggplant is the perfect match for anything you serve it with!

I’ve been making this Sicilian eggplant (caponata) for over a decade now - both in the restaurant and at home. Nearly always serving with fish but to be honest, it goes with anything you can throw at it. Other seafood is amazing as is chicken, beef, lamb or pork. It has a lovely sweet, sour, savoury vibe going on with the vinegar, currants, olives and capers marrying together so well. I also love serving this with burrata, tossed through pasta and simply on toast! The Tuna combination with the dish is next level and I highly recommend. As always, search for the best quality fish you can find from a trusted source and as you are servoing the fish seared, so raw in the middle, freshness is paramount.

When searing fish to keep it nice and raw in the middle, I like to sear the fish while it’s cold, only out of the fridge for 5-10 minutes, then let it rest 10 minutes or so after it has been in the pan to come up to temperature so it’s not cold in the middle. This is just my method I have come to love, opposed to when I would usually cook fish, bringing it out from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking as you are wanting to cook it more evenly. Lastly, i have used Kalamata olives for the dish and yes these aren’t traditional in the dish but I like to use them as they are a bit more meaty and rich, which I love.

Want to get ahead? The Sicilian eggplant can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.

Eggplant - while eggplant is traditional, I have made this with Roast cauliflower florets, some leafy greens like silverbeet or cavolo Nero

Currants - adding a nice sweetness to the dish, these can be left out if desired or swap for sultana, raisins or some diced, dried fig is really nice.

Cannellini Beans - Feel free to swap in another legume like cooked chickpeas, butterbeans, borlotti beans or you can leave out.

Tuna - You could really swap in any fish you like! Chicken - whole roast or smaller cuts is also amazing. Look the Sicilian eggplant goes with just about anything you can throw at it! beef, pork, lamb, tossed through a pasta

Kalamata olives - Swap for a green Sicilian olive if desired