In Good FlavorEggplant Caponata with Goat Cheese Wrap makes a perfect light vegetarian lunch.
I recently went on an extended weekend trip to New York City. It was a self-guided culinary tour of The Big Apple, and I loved every bit of it. My husband, our two friends, and I grazed our way throughout the city. Needless to say, I have a few inspired recipe ideas and copycat recipes (all of which are deliciously artery-clogging) that I will be working on and will share in the future.
To maintain some sort of nutritional balance, I have a healthy caponata wrap recipe for you today. Caponata is an Italian cooked eggplant relish that is commonly served as an appetizer or side dish. I’m using it as a sandwich filling. To make it even healthier, choose a multi-grain or high-fiber wrap….a lavash or pita pocket is also a good option. And if you don’t like goat cheese, you might like it in this as it blends well with all the other flavors, so try it first. But if you really don’t like it, use mozzarella, feta, or whatever strikes your fancy.
Enjoy!
EGGPLANT CAPONATA WITH GOAT CHEESE WRAP
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 cup sliced (1/8-inch thick) celery
1 eggplant (between 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb.), sliced 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick
6 sun-dried tomato halves
6 sun-dried tomato halves
2 tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 cup sliced green olives
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6 oz. goat cheese
16 large basil leaves
4 multi-grain wraps
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat a large saucepan on medium heat. Add olive oil. Add onion, celery, and eggplant. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes and bringing the contents on the bottom of the pan to the top to promote even cooking.
Meanwhile, soak sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water for 5 minutes (skip this step if using tomatoes packaged in olive oil). Remove the tomatoes and slice them into 1/4-inch strips. Set aside. Whisk sugar, red wine vinegar, and tomato paste in a small bowl.
After 15 minutes of cooking, the eggplant should be tender. Add sun-dried tomatoes, olives, garlic, salt, and pepper to the pan. Cook and stir, uncovered, for a minute or so. Pour in the red wine vinegar mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed for 2 – 3 minutes. Serve on a wrap, warm or at room temperature.
To assemble the wrap: Spread or crumble 1/4 of the goat cheese onto the middle section of the wrap, avoiding the edges. Layer with 4 basil leaves followed by 1/4 of caponata. Fold in the edges and roll up the wrap burrito-style. Continue assembling the remaining three wraps. Slice on a diagonal and serve. Serves 4.
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