Kapunata

French call it Ratatouille, Scicilians Caponata, and us Maltese Kapunata.  I don't know who was the first to come up with the idea of mixing all these lovely summer vegetables and create a delicious accompaniment to fish and meat.  As I was picking my vegetables for this recipe I saw the sweet corn shoots and thought I should add them to my Kaponata making it an original recipe.  They gave colour and extra crunch to my finished dish.

3 large peppers diced
2 Jalapeno peppers finely chopped
3 small aubergines chopped into 1cm cubes
1large onion fienly chopped
4 cloves garlic
6 fresh tomatoes
1 bunch basil
1 medium carrot cut lengthways and chopped 
1 celery stick chopped
1 fresh sweet corn (kernels removed by sliding the knife approx 6mm lengthways
1 tablespoon sugar
Seasonings
2 tablespoons capers 
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 can anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon tomato paste.
 3 tablespoons olive oil
10 kalamata olives

Gently fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil.  Add the anchovies and keep frying until anchovies break.  

Add Peppers, aubergines, carrots, corn, celery.  Fry for about 10 minutes until veggies are just tender.  Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, seasonings, sugar and chopped basil. 

Cook on slow heat for further 20 minutes or until mixture is thick and  peppers are properly cooked.  

Finally add capers, vinegar and olives, stir, cook for just one minute.  Turn off heat and serve with hot crusty bread.