Ratatouille, not the movie

Even before the movie, Ratatouille was a dish from southern France that was made with the vegetables left at the end of the season.  A poor man's stew without meat.  I love vegetables so I love this flavorful side dish.  The eggplant makes it hearty enough you can serve Ratatouille as a main dish, just serve with fresh bread.  Maybe if you tell your kids it's the dish Ratatouille makes at the restaurant, you can get them to eat their vegetables.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
2 large sweet red peppers
1 medium eggplant
2 small zucchini
2 large tomatoes or 1 can tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

Chop onion into chunks.  Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large saucepan.  Saute onion until soft, about 5 minutes.  While onion is cooking, prepare the other vegetables.  Add garlic when onion is soft.  As each vegetable is cut up add it to the pan.  Core and seed peppers, cut into medium size chunks.  Peel and cube eggplant.  Cut zucchini into chunks.  Peel tomatoes and cut into eighths.  Add bay leaf and salt, cover pan.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.  Uncover and continue to simmer to allow liquid to evaporate.  Dish should be like stew, not soup.  I like to top mine with shredded Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!      
 
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