Ratatouille

The ultimate summer dish, this Provencal vegetable stew can be a side or the main course if you serve it with rice. It can be served hot or cold, and it tastes even better the next day.

1 medium eggplant
1 lb zucchini (about 3 medium)
1 large yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs tomatoes (Roma is best) or one 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1⁄4 c chopped parsley
1⁄4 c chopped basil
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 T herbes de Provence
6 T extra virgin olive oil, divided

Peel the eggplant and dice the flesh into 1⁄2” x 1⁄2” cubes. Toss the eggplant cubes with 1 teaspoon salt, transfer to a colander and let drain while you prepare the other vegetables (up to two hours).

Dice the zucchini into 1⁄2” x 1⁄2” cubes. Set aside.

Dice the onions and peppers. Mince the garlic.

If using whole tomatoes, blanch them for 15 seconds in a pot of boiling water. Use a slotted spoon to remove them to a bowl of ice water. Drain, peel (the skins will slip right off), and core the tomatoes. Cut them in half and squeeze to remove most of the seeds and some juice as well. Dice the flesh. Set aside.

In a large heavy Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften but not brown, 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove vegetables from the pan onto a plate.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Use a paper towel to blot any moisture from the zucchini cubes. Add zucchini to the pot, sprinkle with a little salt and the herbes de Provence, and cook, stirring occasionally, to brown the cubes on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan onto the same plate as the onions and peppers.

Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pot. Blot any moisture from the eggplant cubes with paper towels. Add cubes to the pot and sauté over medium-high heat until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Add onions, peppers, and zucchini back to the pot with the eggplant. Add tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper, the sprigs of rosemary and thyme and the bay leaf. Stir in about half of the parsley and basil and gently and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes over medium-low heat to meld flavors, soften tomatoes, and evaporate some of the juices.

Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs as well as the bay leaf before serving. Top with remaining herbs and serve with rice or pasta.