Eggplant Stew

(This is a lot like ratatouille)

1/2 cup of olive oil
2 1/2 onions
5 tomatoes, peeled and seeded and chopped
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced in rounds
1 medium to large eggplant, peeled, quartered, and chopped into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon basil (preferably fresh basil, chopped)
Chopped parsley

In a heavy saucepan, heat olive oil and saute onions until translucent.  Add tomatoes and cook over low heat for fifteen minutes.  Add zucchini and eggplant and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh chopped basil.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 3 hours or bake in a 300 oven for two hours.
The weird thing about this dish is you don’t stir it and the vegetables hold their shape and texture a little better than with conventional stirring methods. When finished, spoon off any excess oil, transfer to a pretty serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Adapted from Edna Lewis “In Pursuit of Flavor”

(AE)