Perfect Recipe for End-of-Season Veggies: Ratatoille

It's that time of year when I'm hardly home and all of my veggies are pretty much going into the food processor and then then into the freezer, so cooking (when there has been any) has been rather underwhelming. So I'm going to share some recipes from folks who are actually in the kitchen and producing yummy stuff! In VT it's what I call "scuzzy veggie" season - lots of produce still coming in from farm and garden, but the tomatoes are split, the few surviving summer squashes scarred and scabby looking, and the herbs are about 2" tall and getting a bit brown. Everything tastes just great but it looks pretty gross! Recipes like ratatouille that are all about flavor rather than presentation are perfect.

Recipe and links provided by Fripperie - more great recipes on her blog, by the way!

INGREDIENTS:

2 onion, sliced into thin rings 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium eggplant, cubed 2 zucchini, cubed 2 medium yellow squash, cubed 2 green bell peppers, seeded and cubed 1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 chopped red bell pepper 4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped 1/2 cup olive oil 1 bay leaf 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 4 sprigs fresh thyme salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.
2.	In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the zucchini in batches until slightly browned on all sides. Remove the zucchini and place in the pot with the onions and garlic.
3.	Saute all the remaining vegetables one batch at a time, adding 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet each time you add a new set of vegetables. Once each batch has been sauteed add them to the large pot as was done in step 2.
4.	Season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
5.	Add the chopped tomatoes and parsley to the large pot, cook another 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
6.	Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning.

Ratatouille Raptures:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/summer-vegetable-ratatouille/Detail.aspx

http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/rat-a-too-ee-for-you-ee/


CSA Recipes:
http://www.potomacvegetablefarms.com/recipes/all/