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This recipe is from my BIL, who is a wonderful cook. It's a lot of work but we love it!<br><br><b>The Best Ratatouille</b><br><br><b>Ingredients</b><br><br>
1<span style="font-size:smaller;">½ pounds eggplant (if possible, use 2 small eggplants), unpeeled<br>
salt<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">¼ cup olive oil, divided<br>
2 large onions, thickly sliced<br>
1 large green pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch strips</span> <span style="font-size:smaller;">¼-inch thick<br>
1 large sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch strips</span> <span style="font-size:smaller;">¼-inch thick<br>
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (3 large cloves)<br>
2</span><span style="font-size:smaller;">½ pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">1</span><span style="font-size:smaller;">½ pounds zucchini (small, or seeded if large), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into</span> <span style="font-size:smaller;">½-inch slices<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">½ teaspoon thyme<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">½ teaspoon oregano<br>
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or</span> <span style="font-size:smaller;">½ teaspoon dried basil<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">¼ teaspoon salt, if desired<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">⅛ teaspoon cayenne<br>
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley<br><br><b>Instructions</b><br><br>
Cut the eggplant into</span> <span style="font-size:smaller;">¾-inch cubes. Place the diced eggplant in a colander, sprinkle the eggplant well with salt, weight the pieces down with a plate or bowl, and let the eggplant drain for 30 minutes.<br><br>
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onions and green and red peppers, and saut</span><span style="font-size:smaller;">é them until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Cook the vegetables, stirring them, for about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and wipe out the pan.<br><br>
Heat another tablespoon of oil in the pan, and saut</span><span style="font-size:smaller;">é the zucchini for about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini to the other vegetables in the bowl, leaving behind as much oil as possible.<br><br>
Rinse, drain, and dry the diced eggplant with paper towels. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, and saut</span><span style="font-size:smaller;">é the eggplant for about 10 minutes.<br><br>
Return the reserved vegetables to the pan, and mix them well with the eggplant. Heat the ratatouille, and cook it for about 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, cayenne and parsley.<br></span>
1<span style="font-size:smaller;">½ pounds eggplant (if possible, use 2 small eggplants), unpeeled<br>
salt<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">¼ cup olive oil, divided<br>
2 large onions, thickly sliced<br>
1 large green pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch strips</span> <span style="font-size:smaller;">¼-inch thick<br>
1 large sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch strips</span> <span style="font-size:smaller;">¼-inch thick<br>
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (3 large cloves)<br>
2</span><span style="font-size:smaller;">½ pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">1</span><span style="font-size:smaller;">½ pounds zucchini (small, or seeded if large), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into</span> <span style="font-size:smaller;">½-inch slices<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">½ teaspoon thyme<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">½ teaspoon oregano<br>
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or</span> <span style="font-size:smaller;">½ teaspoon dried basil<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">¼ teaspoon salt, if desired<br></span><span style="font-size:smaller;">⅛ teaspoon cayenne<br>
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley<br><br><b>Instructions</b><br><br>
Cut the eggplant into</span> <span style="font-size:smaller;">¾-inch cubes. Place the diced eggplant in a colander, sprinkle the eggplant well with salt, weight the pieces down with a plate or bowl, and let the eggplant drain for 30 minutes.<br><br>
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onions and green and red peppers, and saut</span><span style="font-size:smaller;">é them until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Cook the vegetables, stirring them, for about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and wipe out the pan.<br><br>
Heat another tablespoon of oil in the pan, and saut</span><span style="font-size:smaller;">é the zucchini for about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini to the other vegetables in the bowl, leaving behind as much oil as possible.<br><br>
Rinse, drain, and dry the diced eggplant with paper towels. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, and saut</span><span style="font-size:smaller;">é the eggplant for about 10 minutes.<br><br>
Return the reserved vegetables to the pan, and mix them well with the eggplant. Heat the ratatouille, and cook it for about 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, cayenne and parsley.<br></span>
