Grilled Caponata Style Veggies

Prep Time	20 minutes, plus 30 minutes salting
Cooking Time	40 minutes
Wiltshire Products	Grill & Gather Veg & Cheese BBQ Set
Serves	4 as a side, 2 as a main

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants, diced into 3cm pieces
1 tbsp salt, for degorging
1 large onion, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
100ml olive oil
3 tbsp salt-packed capers, rinsed and soaked for 10 minutes
60g pitted black olives, roughly chopped
60ml red wine vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
30g pine nuts
1 cup basil leaves, torn
Salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe created by @reliablesugo

Smoky, sweet and tangy, these chargrilled caponata-style veggies turn simple vegetables into a flavour-packed side or satisfying main.

Step 1

Toss the diced eggplant with the salt in a colander and leave for 30 minutes. Pat dry thoroughly and squeeze out any excess moisture. This helps stop the eggplant from absorbing too much oil on the grill.

Step 2

Heat the barbecue with the outer burners on high and the centre burner off. This creates a hot zone on the outside and a gentler zone in the middle.

Step 3

Toss the onion, celery, cherry tomatoes and eggplant with half the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Load the vegetables into the Wiltshire Vegetable Grill Cage and close it.

Step 4

Set the cage on the barbecue grates over the hot zone. Roll it a quarter turn every couple of minutes so the vegetables char evenly. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the eggplant is soft and the onion has taken on good colour. Lift the cage off using the lifting hooks and tip the cooked vegetables into a bowl.

Step 5

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over the cooler zone for 2-3 minutes, shaking often, until golden. Set aside.

Step 6

Make the agrodolce by mixing the caster sugar into the red wine vinegar. Pour it over the grilled vegetables, then add the capers and olives. Fold through gently to keep the pieces intact.

Step 7

Rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature. Caponata is best served warm or cool rather than hot, and the flavours develop even further when made a day ahead.

Step 8

Fold through the basil just before serving and scatter over the toasted pine nuts.

Watch @reliablesugo make the recipe on Instagram

Tips and Tricks for Getting the Best Results

Don't overfill the Vegetable Grill Cage. Leave enough room for the vegetables to tumble as you roll it. This helps them char evenly rather than scorching on one side.
Oil the vegetables, not the cage. Cook in batches if needed so the vegetables have plenty of room.
Use the Grill Plate for smaller ingredients. Its solid surface works well for delicate ingredients such as halved cherry tomatoes that could otherwise fall through the barbecue grates. Preheat it properly before adding food.
Keep the beechwood handle away from direct flame. Wash the handle by hand and remove it before placing the Grill Plate in the dishwasher.
Use the tongs to keep your hands away from the heat. Their length makes it easier to reach across a full barbecue.
Use the lifting hooks when the cage is hot. They make it easier to safely lift and reposition the cage without using a cloth or oven mitt.
Don't skip salting the eggplant. This helps the eggplant hold its shape and prevents it from becoming greasy.
Cut the vegetables to a similar size. This helps everything cook at roughly the same rate.
Taste the agrodolce before adding it. The sweet and tangy balance of vinegar and sugar is at the heart of caponata, so adjust it to taste.
Fold gently. Avoid stirring the finished dish too vigorously so the eggplant keeps its shape.
Make it ahead. If you have time, prepare the caponata a day before serving to allow the flavours to settle and deepen overnight.

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