Ratatouille

Yeah, I made it. It was AWESOME. Totally surprised myself. Wouldn't have made it at all if it weren't for a pile of eggplant, summer squash, and green peppers hanging out in my fridge from my CSA. Nor would I have had the courage to attempt it for anything less than a ladies' potluck lunch where I knew people would try it and serve it to their kids even if it was simply out of curiosity and/or courtesy. Thanks, Lunch Bunch!

I'm citing the source for my recipe as I post it here (my comments are in italics):

Local Food Recipe: RATATOUILLE
Jessy Ruddell, Produce Manager, Common Ground Food Co-op, Urbana, IL


1 large or several small eggplants, cubed (I peeled them, too)
salt
olive oil
3 red onions, coarsely chopped (I only had 2 yellow onions)
3 bell peppers, cut into one-inch chunks (I only had 1 large one)
1 small head garlic, cloves peeled and minced
4-5 zucchini or other summer squash, cut into one-inch chunks
5-6 very ripe tomatoes, cubed
lots of fresh basil, chopped (I used 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley and 2 tsp dried basil)
black pepper
(3 tsp chicken soup base + ~2 cups water)

Place eggplant chunks in a colander and salt generously. (Don't worry about adding too much salt; it will be rinsed off later.) Let stand in the sink while you prepare the other ingredients, or about 30 minutes. Rinse the eggplant and dry well with a kitchen towel.

In a wide pan, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and fry eggplant until golden brown on all sides. (My eggplant got squishy and stuck to the bottom of the pan, making a yummy, brown crust that gave a good flavor to the stew) Remove from the pan and set aside. Add a few more tablespoons of olive oil to the pan (don't be shy!), then fry the onions until soft and translucent. Now add the peppers and sauté until limp. Add the garlic and squash and cook until the squash pieces are lightly browned. (Again, no browning happened. I got bits stuck to the bottom which turned out nicely anyway. I think I cooked it all too hot.)

Return the eggplant to the pan, and add the tomatoes, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to stew for 20-30 minutes.

My favorite way to eat ratatouille is over fresh egg noodles, sprinkled with Parmigiano-Reggiano or Prairie Fruits Farm goat cheese; it also makes a totally fab lasagne filling and tastes delicious at any temperature.