Stage 1 – Cook Eggplant

1. Start by taking a stockpot or Dutch oven (on Amazon) over medium-high heat and add your olive oil
2. First, pour in your cubed and diced eggplant, ensuring that each piece gets nicely coated in olive oil (feel free to add a bit more oil to make sure everything is coated)
3. Cook your eggplant for 10-12 minutes until your eggplant starts to soften and grow translucent

Stage 2 – Create Eggplant Caponata

1. As the eggplant is growing translucent, add your garlic, shallots, celery, red bell pepper and fresh cut tomatoes. Stir around, mix and saute for at least 1-2 minutes
2. Next, add your tomato paste, chopped parsley, chopped mint and raisins and mix briefly
3. Once mixed, add in your balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, cinnamon, coconut sugar and capers. Stir everything well
4. Let the entire caponata mixture simmer together over low heat for at least 10 minutes
5. Stage 3 – Add in Final Touches
6. While your eggplant caponata is simmering, move onto toasting your pine nuts. Either take the pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or microwave them in a small bowl for at least 1 minute
7. With your roasted pine nuts done and caponata fully simmered, add in your pine nuts, chopped scallions and an extra dollop of olive oil into your pot
8. Mix thoroughly and take the pot off the heat, and enjoy!