• 2 medium-large eggplants (about 2 and one-half pounds)
• Salt
• 1 and one-half cups olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 6 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch lengths and blanched for 1 minute in boiling water
• 1 cup pitted green olives
• One-half cup capers
• 1 and one-half cups plain tomato sauce (see below)
• One-half cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (optional)
• 3/4 cup toasted almond slivers

Wash the eggplants, cut off the stems, and cut the eggplants into 3/4-inch cubes. Sprinkle with abundant salt and allow to drain for an hour. Rinse well, dry, and fry in 1 cup olive oil until golden brown on all sides. Drain on absorbent paper.

Saute the onion in one-half cup olive oil until it begins to color. Add the blanched celery and cook a minute longer, then add the olives, capers, tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, and the cocoa if like.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in the eggplant and simmer for 10 minutes. Correct the salt, then refrigerate for 24 hours.

Serve the caponata, sprinkled with the toasted almonds, either cold or at room temperature.

Note: The addition of cocoa, a very baroque, Spanish touch, renders the caponata richer in color and in consistency. Since my own personal preferences run to things simple, I usually leave it out.