• Cooking Time: 20 minutes
• Servings: 4-6
• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• 1 1-½ lbs eggplant, cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, sliced thin
• ¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted
• 2 slices bacon
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbs brown sugar
• fresh basil
• ¼ cup capers
• 1 tbs cocoa powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Fry bacon in pan over medium high heat.
2. While bacon is frying, press eggplant to remove moisture.
3. Remove bacon from pan. Leave fat on medium heat. Toss in eggplant.
4. Brown. Remove from pan into large serving bowl.
5. To pan, add olive oil, onion, bell pepper, and celery. Saute until celery is translucent.
6. Add tomato sauce, garlic, capers and olives. Slowly stir in cocoa powder and paprika. Simmer 10 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Place in bowl.
8. Add eggplant. Toss.
9. Mix balsamic and sugar together in small saucepan over medium heat for 3 minutes.
10. Add to bowl.
11. Toss.
12. Chill.
13. Serve.

I have made this dish for many years, complete with a few variations. Adding pinon nuts can give it a nice roasty flavor (Be sure your nuts are fresh, then pan roast them until golden brown). Adding fresh fish, such as halibut, tuna, squid, and/or salmon can make it more Mediterranean. Feel free to mix it up.