Ratatouille (vegetable stew)

Adapted from the 1977 edition of the Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. Takes about 40-50 min; makes 4 hearty servings.

ingredients (in order of adding to the pot):

1-2 tbsp or so of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Several cloves of garlic, to taste

1 medium yellow onion, or ½ large onion

1 bay leaf

1 good size eggplant, or 2 small eggplants

1 tsp of dried basil

1 tsp of dried majoram

½ tsp of dried oregano

1 medium green bell pepper

2 small (about 6-7” long and 1” in diameter) or 1 medium zucchini

¼ to 1/3 cup of dry red wine

½ cup of tomato juice or V-8 juice, or one small can tomato sauce

1 can of diced tomatoes with juice, or 2-3 fresh tomatoes, diced

2 tbsp of tomato paste

1-3 tbsp of sugar

1-2 tbsp of red wine vinegar

Black pepper to taste

• Put olive oil into a 4 quart pot on a stove burner. Chop garlic into small pieces and dice onions, add to the pot. Add bay leaf. Saute the garlic and onions on medium heat for about 10 min, stirring occasionally, until onions start to become transparent.

• While onions are sautéing, peel eggplant. Cut into ½ wide slices down the length of the eggplant, and then dice each piece into about ½ by ½ inch cubes. After onions have cooked for 10 min, add eggplant to the pot and stir. Add the dried herbs. Stir well and cover the pot. Heat on medium for another 10 min or so until eggplant pieces start to cook through, stirring often and re-covering the pot after stirring.

• While onion and eggplant are cooking, cut off stems and peel zucchini (or leave skin on if zucchinis are small and tender). Slice zucchinis in half, and then slice each half into about 1/3 inch pieces, or dice larger zucchini. Core bell pepper and dice into about ½ to 1-inch pieces.

• Uncover pot and add wine and tomato or V-8 juice, stir.

• Add cut-up zucchini and bell pepper to pot, stir, and cover. Cook another 10 min until zucchini and bell pepper start getting soft, stirring occasionally

• Add can of tomatoes or diced fresh tomatoes and tomato paste to the pot. Stir well and continue cooking until all the veggies look pretty well done. The eggplant should be mushy by now.

• Taste the stew. Add sugar (about 1-3 tbsp), wine vinegar (about 1-2 tbsp) and black pepper (1/2 tsp or to taste) to liven up the flavors instead of adding extra salt.

If the stew is to be served over pasta, heat water to boil in a separate pot while the cooking the ratatouille so that the pasta will be done about the same time. We like bowtie pasta, but any pasta will be fine. Whole wheat pasta adds extra fiber to the meal. Sliced fresh baguette is also good with the ratatouille. Top with a sprinkle of good quality grated parmesan cheese for extra flavor.

A mellow red wine such as merlot or zinfandel goes well with this dish.