Bonus Antipasto

A traditional antipasto plate is my favorite way to start a meal of pasta and salad. I love seeing that platter of thinly sliced meats, fresh mozzarella cheese and lightly marinated grilled vegetables.

If you’re going to the trouble of firing up the barbecue, you may as well grill some extra eggplant, red bell pepper and red onion for this caponata recipe. That way, you’ve got the next day’s dinner about half-way done. Figure on grilling an additional small eggplant, sliced; a large bell pepper, quartered; and a small onion, sliced.

I like this version of caponata served with grilled chicken breasts, but it also would be good tossed with pasta.

Grilled Caponata

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 cup chopped grilled red onion

1 1/2 cups chopped grilled eggplant

3/4 cup chopped grilled red bell pepper

1 tablespoon capers

2 tablespoons sliced Kalamata olives

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt, pepper

* Heat oil in large skillet over

medium heat. Add garlic and celery and cook, stirring until garlic is fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes.

* Add tomato, raise heat to medium high and cook until tomato has released its juices, about 5 minutes. Add onion, eggplant, bell pepper, capers and olives. Cook until heated through, about 10 minutes.

* Remove from heat and stir in parsley and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with grilled chicken breasts.

4 servings. Each serving: 153 calories; 261 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 1.76 grams fiber.