How to make sweet and sour vegetables, vegan recipe, in a pan, in the oven, and with the Thermomix.
Today I want to present you a side dish from my Sicily.
It resembles a caponata, and indeed it contains eggplants, but along with other vegetables.
The procedure is in a pan for the classic version, in the oven for those with dietary needs, and with the Thermomix for those who want a softer version.

Ingredients

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10 1/2 oz eggplant
10 1/2 oz zucchini
1 red Tropea onion
5 1/4 oz celery
to taste extra virgin olive oil
5 1/4 oz tomatoes
3 1/2 oz almonds (blanched)
to taste salt
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
5 tsp sugar (or erythritol)
to taste basil

How to make sweet and sour vegetables

Tools

How to make sweet and sour vegetables

1 Knife
1 Pan or the Thermomix
1 Colander
1 Dishcloth
1 Cutting board

Steps

How to make sweet and sour vegetables

Let’s prepare the eggplants:
Wash the eggplants, remove the stem, then cut thick slices about 3/8 inch, then into cubes or pieces. Gather the eggplant cubes in a bowl with water and salt (about a handful)….
and let rest for about 30 minutes to purge their vegetable liquid.
After the time has passed, transfer the eggplants to a colander for 30 minutes, then rinse, squeeze well, and pat dry with a dishcloth
The zucchinis should be trimmed and cut into slices and then into half-moons
Wash the celery, remove the strings, and cut it into pieces.
Peel and slice the onion
Chop the tomatoes.
Pour some seed oil into a pan and bring it to high temperature, then fry the eggplants until golden. At the end of cooking, let them drain in a colander.
While the eggplants are losing excess oil, proceed with the recipe:
Recover the drained oil, and if necessary, add more, and fry the zucchinis. At the end of cooking, let them drain with the rest.
Always recover the drained oil, and place the onion in the non-stick pan with the extra virgin olive oil, and sauté for 3 minutes.
After the time has passed, add the onion to the colander to drain
Now with the remaining oil, sauté the celery pieces for 2 minutes,
then add the almonds and continue for another 2 minutes.
Chop the tomatoes, and add them to the celery, mix and cook for 3 minutes.
Add all the vegetables that were draining, and mix. Cook for another 3 minutes,
then in a small cup, mix vinegar with sugar, and pour it into the pan.
Raise the heat and let it evaporate.
Wait until everything is well cooled, and serve the cold vegetables with plenty of basil,
Choose a fairly large baking pan, put a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil at the base, and then add the onion, celery, eggplants, zucchinis, chopped tomatoes, and almonds, adjust with salt and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for about 20 minutes.
After the time has passed, drizzle with vinegar and sugar. Mix and let evaporate for another 2 or 3 minutes, then turn off the oven, take the baking pan out and let it cool before serving
Place the diced celery and eggplants (about 3/4 inch) inside the basket. Set aside.
Put the extra virgin olive oil and onion in the mixing bowl, chop: 3 sec./speed 7. Collect on the bottom with the spatula.
Flavour: 3 min./248°F/anti-clockwise/speed 1. with the splash guard instead of the measuring cup
Add the sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, vinegar, tomatoes, and basil. Position the basket, put the lid with the splash guard, and cook 25 min./212°F/anti-clockwise/speed 1.
At the end of cooking, with the help of the spatula remove the basket and transfer its contents to the mixing bowl, cook without the measuring cup: 5 min./212°F/anti-clockwise/speed spoon
Transfer the vegetables to a baking dish, and serve cold