Cool Eggplant Appetizer (Caponata)

A Wedding Feast of Consequence

June is still the main month for weddings. And while many of today's brides and bridegrooms do not feel bound by traditional notions of ritual -- they write their own wedding vows, for example -- most of these affairs have at least a ceremony and party in common. Wedding parties come in all sizes and varieties, from an intimate gathering of immediate family to a gala of 500 or so, from a lawn and garden tea to a hotel, country club or catering hall extravaganza. When the meal is over and the dancing done, everyone goes home and only memories and, perhaps photos, remain.

There was one wedding that had more lasting results though. That was the celebration of the marriage of the Caliph of Baghdad to a young girl named Burana, in the ninth century. Theirs was the ultimate soiree -- actually the fete lasted over two weeks. It cost a sultan's ransom, literally. Architects designed and constructed a palace especially for the occasion. Seamstresses created and sewed a gown without seams out of a single piece of cloth. The bridegroom bestowed a thousand pearls on his beloved. The bridal consultant, straight out of "Father of The Bride," thought of everything.

Including the food, of course. The caterers in charge if this banquet would not serve the ordinary fare of the day. They had to offer something new.

They chose eggplant.

The dish they served was simple enough, consisting of sliced, sauteed eggplant that had been soaked in salt water. It was a knockout. The guests loved it. In fact, this wedding dinner was such a success, you could say it was a watershed meal for Middle Eastern cuisine. Buraniyya, named in honor of the bride, has since inspired thousands of other eggplant recipes. The vegetable became so important in the cuisine of this region that at one time, a woman's prospects for marriage depended on the number of eggplant dishes she could prepare. The more recipes she mastered, the richer and more important her husband was likely to be.

What was it that made the Caliph's eggplant wedding dinner worthy of such praise? Was the uniqueness of the vegetable? The flavor? This much is certain -- the Caliph's chefs knew the nature of eggplant and how best to cook it. By soaking the vegetable in salted water, they softened it and leached out its bitterness, making the dish tender and palatable. That process also assured the dish would not be greasy, since it removes excess moisture, which means that less oil will be needed in a recipe.

Today, home cooks need not soak eggplant. All you have to do is salt slices of the vegetable, let the slices "sweat" for about 30 minutes and wipe them dry with paper towels. This only applies to large purple eggplants, however. The white varieties, as well as Asian eggplants and the mini sized ones, are not naturally bitter and do not require salting.

What do you do with eggplant then? Buraniyya, while suited to the wedding of a Caliph, is exquisitely easy to prepare and is undeniably delicious. Once you salt, sweat and wipe the eggplant slices dry, simply saute them in the smallest amount of olive oil required to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pan. A few fresh herbs work wonders for flavor, particularly basil, marjoram and oregano -- just scatter them in as you saute the vegetable. You also can use this easy recipe at the grill. Just brush the eggplant slices lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with herbs and grill them for a few minutes over moderate heat.

One of eggplant's greatest virtues is its versatility. In addition to the simple buraniyya, are scads of choices for broiled, boiled, fried and baked eggplant. The vegetable's flesh partners well with a variety of herbs, spices, vegetables and flavorings -- onion, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers, lemon, thyme and capers, to name a few. The two recipes below are a tiny sample of what you can do in the name of eggplant. This is a vegetable worthy of a feast.