The Sandpoint Eater: Layers of Lent

By Marcia Pilgeram
Reader Columnist

Last week was abuzz with activities in Sandpoint. Of course, the Winter Carnival was a highlight for many, and my favorite — the annual Feb. 19 countdown to 2:19 p.m. at the 219 Lounge — was the icing on my fun-activity cake. But when fellow 219 revelers revealed that our hometown state champion Lady Bulldogs basketball team would soon pass by with a police escort, my oldest child, Ryanne, was adamant that we take to the street to cheer on her alma mater. 

It was worth the half-hour wait to witness the parade-like affair. We weren’t many, but we were mighty, cheering the motorcade of a dozen police escorts, the Northwestern Stages motorcoach filled with our local champions and their mighty proud coach, Will Love. They were followed by a string of cars filled with a whole lot of equally proud parents.  

Elsewhere in the world, there were other celebrations taking place. For example, in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, the Carnival of Ivrea celebrates the locally famous Battle of the Oranges. It involves thousands of townspeople, divided into nine combat teams, who throw oranges at each other — with considerable violence — during the traditional carnival days: Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. 

The carnival takes place in February (occasionally in March), ending on the night of Shrove Tuesday with a solemn funeral and silent march — after which, the ceremonial “general” discharges the combatants with the phrase, Arvedse a giobia a ‘n bot, which means, “We’ll see each other on Thursday at one.” The statement, delivered in local dialect, refers to the day when the next year’s carnival festivities will recommence.

Seriously, if you as inclined to learn more (as I was) and want to plan for 2024, check out the festival at this link: carnivaland.net/ivrea-carnival.

Elsewhere, throughout the world, pre-Lenten activities often include less violent food-related activities, such as pancake races. Shrove Tuesday is traditionally when Christians use sweet or fatty foods to prepare for Lent fasting before Easter, with pancakes as a quick and straightforward solution.

The market town of Olney in Buckinghamshire, England, lays claim to the oldest annual pancake race in the world, dating back to 1445 CE. Folklore says the Olney tradition started in the 15th century when a harassed housewife, rushing to attend church on Shrove Tuesday, ran to the service with a frying pan still in her hand. The race is open to the “ladies of Olney only,” but maintains a friendly rivalry with a small city in Kansas.

Besides pancake races, there are many other fantastic pancake stories to sink your teeth into at the Guinness Book of World Records’ website: guinnessworldrecords.com. Learn about the world’s biggest pancake, the most pancakes ever stacked, the most pancakes ever flipped, and other astonishing feats and records related to the sweet flapjack.

I grew up in a practicing Catholic household, and I don’t recall this kind of fun-with-food leading up to Lent. Still, I remember Leftover-Thursday, when my mother would search the refrigerator for all the bits and pieces of the past week’s meat meals and whip up some stew or goulash. Then, we’d start meatless Friday with a clean refrigerator (and souls), and fish sticks, paving our way to pureness during the holy Lenten season. But, of course, it was easier back then when more restaurants seemed to cater to practicing Catholics.

Invariably, the only time I remember it’s a Lenten Friday is when I bite into a juicy hamburger at Sweet Lou’s, which is ironic because about half of my clan is vegetarian. Nowadays, it’s not that uncommon for meatless meals at my house.

I made a big batch of eggplant caponata this past weekend, and both of my girls agreed it was the best batch I’d ever cooked. Even my 2-year-old, caper-loving granddaughter Runa devoured it. The recipe originates from Sicily, about as far south as you can get in Italy from the orange-tossing area of Ivrea.

You don’t need to be a vegetarian or observing Lent to add this toddler-approved, perfectly piquant eggplant dish to your culinary repertoire.

Eggplant caponata recipe • Caponata is a tangy and tasty vegetarian dish that originates from Sicily. Serve it as an appetizer or salad. It’s delicious warm, cold or room temperature. You can make it a couple of days ahead and store it in the fridge in a tightly sealed storage container, but it’s best warmed up a bit, served on baguette slices or topping some fresh greens.

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant (about 1 ½ pounds, cut into 1-inch cubes) 

• Sea salt

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 1 yellow onion chopped

• 1 red bell pepper cored and chopped

• 1 green bell pepper cored and chopped

• 2 small celery stalks (pull strings and slice thin)

• 1 15 oz-can diced tomatoes with juice

• Coarse ground pepper

• 2 tablespoon capers, rinsed well 

• ¼ cup pitted green olives roughly chopped 

• 2 tsp sugar 

•1 bay leaf

• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes 

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar 

• ¼ dry white wine

• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the eggplant cubes in a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt. Leave in colander for 20 or 30 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Rinse well, place on sheet pan and pat dry with paper towel. Drizzle with 3-4 tbs of olive oil and toss gently on sheet to coat cubes.  Roast the eggplant in the heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Gently stir/toss with wooden spoon until tender, about 7-8 minutes. 

Add the tomatoes, capers, olives, sugar, bay leaf and crushed pepper flakes. Pour in the vinegar and white wine. Stir to combine. Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the sauce is thickened 

Stir in the roasted eggplant and stir gently. Cook about 5 more minutes. Let it cool down a bit, and finish with fresh parsley. Serve warm or refrigerate for later.