Why Wipe Out the Pan Between Caponata Cooking Steps

Question

I have a recipe for caponata which I love. There is one step in the recipe which has always puzzled me.
The first step is sautéing in olive oil the onion and celery , then adding the garlic. Then taking it out of the pan to hold it. Then sautéing the eggplant in olive oil but (this is the piece that puzzles me)
The recipe says to wipe out the pan well before proceeding to the sautéing of the eggplant - this seems unnecessary as they are all to be eventually mixed.
Am I missing something ? Why this ‘wipe out’ step ?

Matthew Card · Accepted Answer

Hi,
Typically, a pan is wiped between batches to ensure nothing cooked is left in the pan that might burn if it were to be cooked longer. Aromatics, like garlic or onions, can burn and taste very acrid if overcooked Yes, everything is ultimately combined for caponata, but the best results come from perfectly cooking each element.
That said, if your pan is perfectly clean between batches, I think you're probably safe to skip the step!
Thanks,
Matt C.

Why Wipe Out the Pan Between Caponata Cooking Steps

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