Caponata with Cinnamon Basil Flowers

Ask Inspector Montalbano, a good caponata is food of Gods. Unfortunately, it is all too easy for a caponata to fall down from its heavenly ceiling to a very ordinary and earthly mush. There is a good parallel here in the animated film Ratatouille. The film captured – with a little exaggeration – how a humble vegetable stew can be elevated to exquisite culinary heights in the hands of the right cook. And, just like the film, I have had my own moment of catharsis after cooking a caponata according to a precise procedure and with the utmost care and attention. The secret for both caponata and ratatouille is to cook ingredients separately and then bring together at the end to gently mingle and meld…

1. Cut the aubergine into 2-3cm chunks. Then soak in water for half an hour. (I do not salt the aubergines – current wisdom indicates that aubergines have been cultivated to no longer need purging of bitter juices. Further, I am never convinced about adding extra salt to an ingredient – it complicates the seasoning. Finally, soaking aubergines is a Chinese culinary trick. Pre-soaking before frying does two things: it stops the aubergine taking up too much oil, and it keeps the aubergine in a reasonable plump shape.
2. Prepare the other ingredients. Chop the onion into a medium dice, cut the courgette into 2 cm chunks, and chop the celery into a small dice. Chop the tomato into 15mm cubes, soak the capers in warm water for 15 minutes and rinse, soak the raisins in warm water for 15 minutes, lightly dry fry the pine nuts on medium heat. Slice the olives.
3. Fry the onions in a good glug of light olive oil. Start on a high heat and stir, then reduce to a low heat and gently cook until soft and transparent – at least 20 minutes. Drain the onions and reserve the oil.
4. Whilst the onions are cooking, use another frying pan to start with the other vegetables. Heat a good couple of glugs of oil in the pan and fry the chopped stick of celery on medium high heat for about 3 minutes. Drain the celery reserving the oil. Return the oil to the pan and fry the courgette on a medium high heat, stir and turn with a spatula until lightly browned in places. Drain the courgettes reserving the oil. Add the reserved oil to the pan and combine with the oil from the onions. Finally, fry the aubergine on a medium high heat until lightly browned, stirring and turning often. Drain the aubergines in a sieve and then place on a few kitchen towels briefly to remove any excess oil (do not leave too long otherwise the juices will also be removed).
5. Using a clean large saucepan with lid, add the passata, water, vinegar, sugar and spices and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Add the capers and raisins and simmer for 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, aubergine, onion, courgette, and cooked celery and basil flowers and simmer for 2 minutes. Finally, turn off the heat and add the half the pine nuts and most of the torn basil leaves. Season and stir. Put the lid on the pan and allow to rest for at least an hour.
6. To serve scatter over the remaining pine nuts, the remaining basil leaves and about another teaspoon of basil flowers. Serve with bread.