# Sicilian Salmon Shanks with Eggplant Caponata and Cinnamon Butternut Mash > Salmon shanks cook gently in a chunky Sicilian sauce of late-summer tomatoes, celery, olives and capers. Sweet-sour eggplant caponata brings toasted pine nuts and fresh mint, while cinnamon-scented butternut mash softens the briny edges—a good plate for the turn from summer into fall. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/sicilian-style-salmon-shank-with-eggplant-caponata-and-cinnamon-mashed-butternut - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2022-09-12 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free, pescatarian ![Sicilian Salmon Shanks with Eggplant Caponata and Cinnamon Butternut Mash](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F80a007e187949c67.jpg) ## Gently Braised Salmon Shanks The skin and central bone help these thick tail sections hold their shape. Gentle, covered cooking keeps the flesh moist while the tomato sauce seasons it. ### Ingredients - 4 fishmonger-prepared, skin-on salmon tail shanks, about 10–14 ounces each including bone, scaled and pin bones removed - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 1 batch Sicilian tomato, olive, caper and celery sauce, prepared below - 1/4–1/2 cup hot water, as needed ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Pat the salmon dry and season the flesh lightly with salt and pepper, keeping the salt modest because the sauce contains olives and capers. 2. Spread the hot prepared sauce in a deep ovenproof sauté pan or snug baking dish. Stand the shanks upright, exposed bones pointing up. Add enough hot water to loosen the sauce so it can bubble gently without drying out; it need not cover the fish. 3. Spoon some sauce over the flesh and cover with a domed lid or tented foil. Bake for 25–40 minutes, basting once halfway through. Start checking at 20 minutes because the thickness of these cuts varies considerably. 4. Check the thickest flesh in several places without touching the bone. Cook to 145°F; the flesh should separate into moist flakes and release readily from the bone. Transfer carefully with a wide spatula. 5. If the sauce is watery, simmer it briefly on the stovetop after removing the fish. Spoon it over the salmon just before serving. ### Notes - Ask the fishmonger for salmon tail sections trimmed into upright shanks with an exposed central bone; do not try to expose the bone with a knife at home unless experienced. - If shanks are unavailable, use four 6–8-ounce thick salmon portions, skin-side down, and begin checking after 12 minutes. ## Sicilian Tomato, Olive, Caper and Celery Sauce Ripe tomatoes provide sweetness and body, while olives and capers supply briny depth. Celery stays distinct enough to give the sauce texture rather than turning it into a smooth purée. ### Ingredients - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced - 3 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped - 1/2 cup pitted green and black olives, roughly chopped - 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest - 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, to taste - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Warm the olive oil in a wide, deep ovenproof sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until softened but not browned. 2. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer. 3. Cook uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes collapse into a chunky sauce. Add a splash of water if it begins to catch. 4. Stir in the olives, capers and lemon zest. Taste before adding salt, then add black pepper and enough lemon juice to brighten the tomatoes without making the sauce sharply sour. 5. Use the sauce hot for the salmon braise. It should be spoonable and loose enough to surround the fish, not reduced to a paste. ### Notes - Out of tomato season, use one 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand. ## Eggplant Caponata with Pine Nuts, Raisins and Mint Roasting gives the eggplant browned edges without saturating it with oil. Vinegar, raisins and a little honey create the sweet-sour balance, with pine nuts and herbs added late for contrast. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 pounds globe or Italian eggplant, cut into 1 1/4-inch chunks - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces - 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste - 1 small red onion, diced - 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced - 1 clove garlic, minced - 1 medium ripe tomato, diced - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar - 1 teaspoon honey - 1/4 cup unsweetened dark raisins - 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed - 1/3 cup pine nuts - 1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped - 1/4 cup mint leaves, torn - to taste freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the eggplant and yellow pepper with 4 tablespoons olive oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Spread on a large sheet pan in a single layer, using two pans if crowded. 2. Roast for 25–35 minutes, turning once, until the eggplant has browned edges and creamy centers but still holds its shape. 3. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, shaking frequently, until golden. Transfer immediately to a bowl. 4. Warm the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery and soften for 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic, stir for 30 seconds, then add the diced tomato and cook for 4–5 minutes. 5. Add the vinegar, honey, raisins and capers with 2 tablespoons water. Simmer for 2–3 minutes to plump the raisins and take the raw edge off the vinegar. 6. Fold in the roasted eggplant and pepper gently. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and let stand for at least 15 minutes. 7. Taste while warm, adjusting salt, pepper and vinegar as needed. Fold in most of the pine nuts, parsley and mint just before serving, reserving some for the top. ### Notes - Serve warm or at room temperature rather than piping hot; the sweet-sour flavors become clearer as it rests. - The caponata can be made a day ahead. Add the herbs and pine nuts shortly before serving. ## Butternut Squash Mash with Cinnamon Roasting concentrates the squash so the mash stays thick enough to support the salmon. A restrained pinch of cinnamon emphasizes its sweetness without making it taste like dessert. ### Ingredients - 1 large butternut squash, about 3 pounds, halved lengthwise and seeded - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided - 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste - to taste freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Rub the cut faces of the squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place cut-side down on a lined baking sheet. 2. Roast for 45–60 minutes, until a knife slides through the thickest part without resistance and the cut surfaces are lightly caramelized. 3. Scoop the flesh into a saucepan. Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil, cinnamon, salt and a little black pepper. 4. Mash until mostly smooth, leaving a little texture. If wet, stir over low heat for 3–5 minutes to evaporate excess moisture; if unusually stiff, loosen with a tablespoon or two of hot water. 5. Taste and adjust the salt. Keep covered over very low heat, stirring occasionally, or rewarm gently before plating. ### Notes - Keep the cinnamon subtle; the mash should remain savory. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The vegetables share the hotter oven first, then the salmon cooks at a gentler temperature. Caponata improves while it rests, making it an easy component to finish ahead. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F and put the squash in to roast. Cut the caponata vegetables. 2. 0:15 — Put the eggplant and pepper in the oven on a separate rack. Toast the pine nuts and prepare the caponata's onion-vinegar mixture. 3. 0:30 — Start the Sicilian tomato sauce in the ovenproof fish pan. 4. 0:45–0:55 — Remove the tender eggplant and finish the caponata. Set it aside to rest, keeping the herbs and pine nuts separate. 5. 0:50–1:00 — Check the squash and remove when fully tender. Lower the oven to 350°F. Season the salmon and nestle it into the hot tomato sauce. 6. 1:00 — Put the covered salmon in the oven. Scoop and mash the squash while the fish cooks. 7. 1:20 onward — Check salmon temperature and continue cooking as needed. Rewarm the squash, fold herbs and pine nuts into the caponata, and prepare warm plates. ## Plating A compact mound of squash anchors the tall salmon cut, while the caponata stays alongside so its herbs and pine nuts retain their texture. ### Instructions 1. Spoon a generous mound of butternut mash toward the back of each warm plate. 2. Set a salmon shank beside and partly against the mash, with the exposed bone upright. Use a wide spatula and check that it is stable. 3. Spoon the chunky tomato, olive and caper sauce over and around the fish. 4. Arrange the caponata alongside, finishing with its reserved pine nuts, parsley and mint. Leave some orange mash and salmon visible rather than covering the entire plate. 5. Let diners know the salmon contains a central bone and may contain smaller bones. ## Leftover Path Storing the components separately preserves the caponata's texture and lets the salmon reheat gently in its sauce. ### Instructions 1. Within 2 hours of cooking, remove leftover salmon from the central bones, checking carefully for smaller bones. Refrigerate it with its sauce in a shallow airtight container. 2. Refrigerate the caponata and squash separately. Use the salmon within 3 days and the vegetable components within 4 days. 3. Reheat the salmon and sauce gently, covered, with a splash of water until the fish reaches 165°F. Avoid a hard boil. 4. Rewarm the squash in a saucepan with a little water. Serve the caponata at room temperature or gently warmed, adding fresh herbs if available. 5. For a different second meal, flake the salmon over warmed squash and spoon caponata around it, keeping the sauce as the dressing. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.