Grilled Eggplant Caponata

INGREDIENTS

½ cup olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, thickly sliced

3 tbsp pine nuts

3 tbsp currants

1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 medium eggplant, peeled and thickly sliced lengthwise

2 red bell peppers, sliced into thick strips

½ cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

½ tsp dried thyme

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat a grill (indoors or out) to medium high heat. 
Drizzle onion, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper. 
Keep onions separate. 
Toss, making sure that all vegetables are well coated. 
Grill vegetables until all have grill marks and are slightly softened. 
Cool the vegetables and then chop into medium dice.

In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking.
Add the grilled onions, pine nuts, currants and pepper flakes and saute until warmed.

Add the rest of the grilled vegetables, sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.

Add the thyme and balsamic vinegar.
Bring the mixture to a boil.

Lower the heat and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.