CORN CAPONATA

I WAS READING the Wine Spectator's The Flavors of Italy issue (September 30, 2013) and there was a fantastic little article on Michael White's (of Marea fame and a fellow Wisconsinite) take on Salt Cod poached in olive oil which looks really delicious. What grabbed me more, though, was his little discussion - in relation to la cucina del sud - on corn. As he so correctly states, corn in Italy is not a big staple of any kind except for the making of polenta but in the context of fresh vegetables at this particular time of the year, and translated to the American palette, what better way to use it than in CAPONATA!

Corn Caponate with Fennel and Peppers

I've been making caponate for many years and being Sicilian, it is hard not to imagine making it in a variety of ways with any number of vegetables - literally whatever you have in the house. Of course, we are all familiar with one made with eggplant, olives, tomato, celery, et. al., I have made one with just celery and any kind of contrasting colored fruit (pomegranates come immediately to mind). The secret to caponata, however, is agradolce. The marriage of vinegar and sugar that is cooked, reduced and mixed into the caponata at the very end - a startling and spectacularly delicious finish.  

Be that as it may, as soon as Mr. White said corn, the lights went on and the whistles were blowing because I had corn in the house and I knew exactly what I was going to do and here it is!

Olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a frying pan)

1 medium onion finely chopped

1/2 fennel bulb, slice very thin and then chopped (but only a little)

1 tsp. freshly chopped thyme

12 leaves fresh basil (chiffonade)

2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 roasted pepper (preferably orange) seeded, peeled and cut into strips and marinated in oil.

3-4 red pickled pepperoncini (the sweet kind that are small and round) - recipe to follow

1/2 cup chopped scallions (green part only)

3 cobs of corn, kernels removed (you can do this before or after cooking in water, but uncooked with give you more   crunch if that's what you prefer)

1 large anchovy filet

1/2 cup vinegar

1/4 cup golden raisins (soaked in the vinegar, drained and cooked with the corn at the last moment)

2 tsp. sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup slivered almonds or hazelnuts (optional)

Heat the oil until it starts to make ripples in the pan. Add the onions and the garlic and saute until just beginning to turn a little golden. Add the fennel, the thyme and a pinch of salt and some pepper and saute until the fennel becomes translucent and softens a bit - you still want some crunch to remain. Remove from pan, wipe dry and add more oil and begin again but this time with the corn, the raisins, and the peppers together. Cook until the corn begins to render more color, salt and pepper to taste and add the scallions and cook for about a minute, if only to warm and wilt the scallion. Add this mixture to the reserved fennel. Add the basil chiffonade and mix well. 

If using almonds, toast in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until the pan just starts to show signs of smoking and remove from heat and take almonds out of the pan. Add to the caponata.

Take the vinegar which you soaked the raisins in and the sugar and heat up in the pan which you used to cook the vegetables. Let it reduce to about 3 tbs. of syrup and pour into the bowl with the caponata ingredients. Correct seasoning, if necessary, and chop the anchovy and stir it into mixture. Put in a storage container large enough to hold all ingredients but let it all come to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator (if you can wait that long!). I know for a fact, though, that refrigerating it and then letting it come back to room temperature before serving is definitely the way to go here. It will taste better, I guarantee you. 

This dish is perfect for antipasto or as a compliment to fish, chicken or even lamb. I had some last night with the stuffed peppers and fennel and it was marvelous.

Buon appetito!