Name: Ben’s Wine & Tapas’ Vegan Caponata
Ingredients: 5 kg white onions; 1 tin of chopped tomatoes; 250 ml tomato puree; 1 jar of roasted red peppers (cut into 3cm x 1cm ribbons); ½ tsp Hodmedod’s umami fava bean paste; pinch of seaweed powder; ½ tsp fermented red chilli paste (or a few drops of tabasco or similar); 100 g sugar; 100 ml red wine vinegar; 30 g salt; 50 g sultanas – soaked in the vinegar; 150 g pitted olives – coarsely chopped; 2 tbsp capers (rinsed); black pepper

AuthorBen Watson

The tapas bar have been playing around with their version of caponata as a summer special and have settled on an eclectic mix, using seaweed powder and fermented bean paste (instead of anchovies) to keep it vegan.

We make the agrodolce tomato sauce and add the aubergine and other vegetables as needed and there's no reason why you can't do this at home. One batch should keep you going all summer!

Yields1 Serving

5 kg white onions

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

250 ml tomato puree

1 jar of roasted red peppers (cut into 3cm x 1cm ribbons)

½ tsp Hodmedod’s umami fava bean paste

pinch of seaweed powder

½ tsp fermented red chilli paste (or a few drops of tabasco or similar)

100 g sugar

100 ml red wine vinegar

30 g salt

50 g sultanas – soaked in the vinegar

150 g pitted olives – coarsely chopped

2 tbsp capers (rinsed)

black pepper

Peel & thinly slice the onions.

Fry the onions in olive oil until soft.

Add the tomato puree and sugar.

Gently cook for another 15 minutes until the mix begins to darken.

Add the tomatoes, vinegar, salt, chilli paste, fermented bean paste, instant seaweed powder, capers, olives, sultanas and sliced peppers.

Season with a good grind of pepper and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add cooked aubergine and vegetables or fill into sterile jars.

Ingredients