Siciliana (v) Recipe

Prepare eggplant

Salt the cubed eggplant lightly and place in a colander for 20 minutes to draw out bitterness. Rinse and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels before cooking.

Cook vegetables

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large wide skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the drained eggplant in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and cook until golden and softened, 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer cooked eggplant to a bowl.

Sweat aromatics

Add remaining 1 tbs olive oil to the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and sliced celery and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 6 minutes.

Build the caponata

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, olives, and capers, then return the eggplant to the skillet. Mix to combine.

Season and finish

Stir in red wine vinegar and brown sugar, then add oregano, salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes so flavors meld and the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust vinegar/sugar balance to a bright-sweet profile. Remove from heat and set aside (caponata can be made ahead and served room temperature).

Roast garlic

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the top 1/4 inch off each garlic head to expose the cloves. Drizzle each head with 1/2 tsp olive oil, wrap loosely in foil and roast 35–40 minutes until cloves are soft and caramelized. Let cool, then squeeze out roasted garlic cloves into a small bowl and mash into a paste.

Trim and parboil artichokes

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim artichokes: remove tough outer leaves, cut stems to 1/2 inch, and halve through the center. Rub cut sides with lemon to prevent browning. Add artichokes to boiling water and simmer 8–10 minutes until just tender. Drain and pat dry.

Marinate and grill

Toss parboiled artichoke halves with 2 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high. Grill artichokes cut-side down 3–4 minutes until charred marks appear, then 2 minutes cut-side up to heat through. Remove and set aside. When plating, spread a little roasted garlic paste on artichoke halves if desired.

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tbs olive oil. Add baby spinach in batches, tossing until wilted, 2–3 minutes total. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Assemble Siciliana

On a serving platter or individual plates, spread a generous bed of wilted spinach. Spoon warm or room-temperature caponata over the spinach. Arrange grilled artichoke halves and scatter halved olives if you like extra. Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil over the dish.

Garnish

Sprinkle grated Grana Padano evenly over the top. Add torn basil leaves and finish with a pinch of coarse sea salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.