Fig and Fennel Caponata

Ingredients

• 8 servings grilled bread for serving
• 2 tablespoons capers drained
• 2 cups fennel bulb 1 large
• 8  calimyrna figs dried
• 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley chopped
• 3  garlic cloves thinly sliced
• 0.5 cup olives green such as cerignola pitted coarsely chopped
• 8 servings kosher salt and pepper black freshly ground
• 2.5 tablespoons brown sugar light packed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil good
• 0.3 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
• 1 teaspoon orange zest grated
• 1.5 cups onion red
• 0.3 cup sherry vinegar good
• 1 cup tomatoes in purée such as redpack canned crushed

Equipment

• frying pan

Directions

1. Watch how to make this recipe.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 10-inch saute pan.
3. Add the onions and fennel and saute for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
4. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Stir in the vinegar, tomatoes, figs, and brown sugar, stirring to coat everything with the tomatoes. Stir in the capers, olives, orange zest, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the orange juice and parsley. Taste for seasonings; the caponata should be very highly seasoned.
5. Serve the caponata warm or at room temperature with slices of grilled bread.