KIDS: VEGAN SWEET'N SOUR AUBERGINE DIP, easy, kid-friendly (for eating & making)

Are your kids novice cooks looking for a challenge?  This aubergine dip tastes fabulous and is so easy...

Aubergine & Vegetable Dip with sweet/sour Mediterranean accents

Young cooks will be proud to make and serve this terrific vegan dip with roots in Sicilian/Tunisian cuisine. 

Caponata is made on top of the stove and barely requires watching.  Popular in the Mediterranean & Tunisia, it's easy to prepare and lower in calories than many dips.   

The young cooks will need some knife skills; there's a good amount of simple  chopping.  But the recipe is easy.  The result looks tremendously appetising and the flavours will please the entire family. 

Your young cook should be beaming with pride as s/he presents the dish.

Caponata with flaked almonds

Like many classic dishes, Caponata offers plenty of variations - with or without olives and pine nuts; choice of lemon juice or red wine vinegar; parsley instead of chives.  No panic then if one item or another is not in the cupboard.





Cost: £2.50'ish
Serves: 4-6 sides or a crowd

Ingredients:
    up to 1/4 cup olive oil (67 used 2 1/2 tbsp)
    1 stick celery, diced

    1 med eggplant, peeled, in 1/2inch/1cm pieces
    1 red pepper, top and tailed & de-seeded, in 1/2inch/1cm pieces
    1 med onion, red or white, in med dice
    up to 2 large cloves garlic, grated or minced
    1 390gm/14oz tin diced tomatoes (or 400gms/14oz fresh, diced)
    2-3 tbsp raisons (opt)
    1/2 tsp oregano
    1/8 tsp red pepper or chilli flakes (opt)
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

    zest 1 lemon
    juice 1/2 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
    splash red wine vinegar
    1-3 tbsp sugar or honey (opt)
    generous handful olives, coarsely chopped
    generous handful pine nuts (opt)
    2-3 tbsp chives or parsley, finely chopped

Method:

1. Heat a large pan over med heat; add olive oil
2. Add celery, cook 2 mins
3. Add eggplant, cook 2 mins; add salt
4. Add red pepper, cook 3 mins or until translucent
5. Add onion, cook 3 mins or until translucent
6. Add tomatoes, oregano, & pepper
7. Turn down heat slightly; simmer uncovered 25-30 mins or until thick; take off heat
8. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar and sugar/honey, if using
9. Add half of the chives/parsley & olives
10. Check for seasoning; add more salt & pepper if needed
11. Garnish with remaining herbs
12. Serve with toasted pitta bread triangles, rice crackers and raw crudités: carrot, celery & cucumber sticks plus small cauliflower florets 

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This recipe has been adapted from Giada de Laurentis & developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.