A twist on classic Sicilian eggplant caponata with it’s distinctive sweet and sour flavors (agrodolce), this variation adds swordfish to create a satisfying dish that can be enjoyed as antipasto, side or main dish.
What is Sicilian caponata?
Caponata is a traditional Sicilian eggplant dish made with onions, celery and tomatoes. It is known for it’s quintessential sweet and sour flavors (agrodolce) with sugar and vinegar stirred in at the end of cooking.
This sweet and sour flavor is common in Sicilian cooking and you’ll find it in several other dishes such as fish with mint; squash; rabbit; meatballs and chicken.
Swordfish caponata, or caponata di pesce spada, is a delicious variation of the classic recipe. I enjoyed this dish several times during my recent trip to Sicily and I was eager to share this caponata recipe with you!
Sautéed cubed swordfish is added to the dish at the end of cooking to create a heartier, satisfying dish which can be enjoyed as antipasto; a side or main dish.
The best thing about swordfish and eggplant caponata is that it is best enjoyed after sitting for a few hours in order to allow the sweet and sour flavors to mingle. Therefore it is best enjoyed at room temperature or even better, cold the following day.
Ingredient List
- Fresh swordfish steak
- Eggplant: any variety will do. You may peel your eggplant or not. I chose not to.
- Celery
- Onion
- Tomatoes: I used cherry tomatoes from my garden for their sweet flavor. You may also use regular large tomatoes or in a pinch, canned diced tomatoes.
- Olive oil
- Capers: I used brine-cured capers
- Olives: (not shown) Traditionally, green olives are used but since I had these black olives that I purchased in Sicily and therefore I decided to use these instead.
- Sugar
- White wine vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh basil
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- Prepare the eggplant
- The eggplant is traditionally pan fried but I prefer to oven roast mine until soft and golden. You may stick to the traditional method if you prefer.
- Prepare the swordfish
- Rinse the swordfish and dry well. Trim off the skin and cut into small cubes. Sauté in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook!
- Prepare the caponata
- At this point I wipe down the skillet and sauté the remaining ingredients, seasoning with salt at each step.
- Begin with the onion and celery, until softened.
- Next, stir in the halved tomatoes.
- After they have cooked down for a few minutes stir in the capers, olives, sugar and vinegar.
- Toss in the roasted eggplant, then the swordfish.
- Remove from heat and add fresh basil and drizzle with a little extra olive oil.
- Let sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving in order to allow the flavors to mingle.
Recipe Notes
-The eggplant for caponata is traditionally pan fried in plenty of olive oil. Purists may disagree with me but I choose to oven roast mine instead!
–Raisins and pine nuts (about 1 tbsp. of each) may be added at the same time as the olives and capers.
-Traditionally, pitted and sliced Sicilian green olives are used but I chose to use whole black olives that I brought back from Sicily.
-If you don’t have fresh tomatoes available, replace with canned diced tomatoes.
Swordfish caponata is served as antipasto; a side or main dish. Serve with plenty of fresh bread!
Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 5 days. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
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Here are more Sicilian eggplant recipes for you to check out!
- Mom’s Eggplant Parmigiana
- Sicilian Summer Vegetable Stew
- Pasta alla Norma
- Stuffed Eggplant and Peppers in Tomato Sauce
- Grilled Eggplant Involtini
- Maccaruna Involtini with Eggplant
- Stuffed Baby Eggplant
- Eggplant Involtini with Ricotta Spinach FIlling
- Crispy Baked Eggplant Cutlets
- Anelletti al Forno with Eggplant
- Eggplant Calzone alla Norma
- Arancini alla Norma
- Melanzane in Carrozza
- Baked Eggplant Meatballs
- Pickled Eggplant
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant about 650 grams, cut into cubes
- 450 grams swordfish 1 lb
- 2 branches celery chopped into small slices
- 1 large onion diced
- 225 grams cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 tbsp. capers I used brined
- 12 olives green or black
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- handful basil
- salt as directed
- 9 tbsp. olive oil divided
Instructions
Prepare the eggplant
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Cut eggplant into cubes, place on the sheet pan and toss with 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt.
- Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway, until the eggplant is soft and golden brown. Set aside.
Prepare the swordfish
- While the eggplant is roasting, rinse the swordfish and dry well. Trim off the skin and cut into small cubes.
- In a large skillet heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. Add swordfish cubes, a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Prepare the caponata
- Wipe down the skillet and heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium high. Add onion, celery, a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp. of water.
- Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer.
- Stir in the halved tomatoes, a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
- Add the capers, olives, sugar and vinegar. Stir to combine all ingredients well.
- Stir in the roasted eggplant and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the swordfish, stir and cook for 2 minutes longer.
- Remove from heat and add fresh basil. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive oil.
- Let sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving in order to allow the flavors to mingle.
Notes
–Raisins and pine nuts (about 1 tbsp. of each) may be added at the same time as the olives and capers.
-Traditionally, pitted and sliced Sicilian green olives are used but I chose to use whole black olives that I brought back from Sicily.
-If you don’t have fresh tomatoes available, replace with canned diced tomatoes To Serve Swordfish caponata is served as antipasto; a side or main dish. Serve with plenty of fresh bread! Storage Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 5 days. Serve cold or at room temperature.
This sounds amazing! I love Caponata and also swordfish and combining them sounds so good.
Thank you Pat, this combination really does work. I enjoyed it in Sicily everywhere I went!