AUTUMN CAPONATA

Phyllis Segura copyright 2006


2 onion
3⁄4 cup olive oil
1 can tomato puree
1⁄2 cup dry red wine
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 butternut squash
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 head celery
1⁄2 pound pitted green olives
1-1-1/2 oz. capers
1⁄2 cup parsley, chopped
1⁄4-1/2 cup pine nuts
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Saute sliced and quartered onion in olive oil. Add puree, wine, sugar. Simmer 30 minutes. (For the Aga: saute on the simmering plate then put into the baking oven.)

Peel, seed and dice the squash. Stir vinegar into the tomato sauce. Add the squash. Season.

Cut celery and remove the strings. (Peel like peeling a carrot.) Cut into a large dice. Blanch in boiling water then drain and dip into ice water and add to the mixture.

(For the Aga: put back into the baking oven for about 1⁄2 hour or the simmering oven for about an hour or until the squash is soft.)

Chop olives. Add capers, parsley, olives, pine nuts for final five minutes. (For the Aga: put into the Simmering oven for 5 minutes to 1 hour.)

Let cool. Better the next day. Serve with additional salt and pepper and a drizzle of very good olive oil.

Good as a starter or side dish.