Ratatouille

This was a recipe I saw in the paper, it comes from a Resort in Carlsbad. I liked this recipe because it is all done on the stove top where most Ratatouille's are made in the oven. This recipe says it makes 12, which is a lot. I didn't really measure when I made it just more or less eyeballed it! It's a great side dish, light and comforting.


Ingredients

2 pounds eggplant, cut into cubes
2 1⁄2 pounds peeled tomatoes or 1 (28-ounce) can plus 1 (14-ounce) can petite-diced tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1⁄3 cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil
3⁄4 cup loosely packed chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil, or less if desired, divided use
1 1⁄2 pounds white onions, diced
3 red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced
2 pounds zucchini, cut into cubes


Directions

Place a single layer of paper towels on 2 large plates. Place the cubed eggplant onto the plates and sprinkle with 1 3/4 teaspoons salt. Allow the eggplant to sit for 20 minutes.

In a large saucepan, cook the tomatoes, garlic, basil and parsley, uncovered, over medium heat.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the onions and bell peppers over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned.

Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the vegetables to the tomato mixture.

Pat the eggplant dry with a fresh paper towel and sauté cubes in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Then sauté the zucchini the same way with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add eggplant and zucchini to the tomato mixture.

Cover the pot and cook the stew over low heat for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender"