Ratatouille

Heather ND's Note:

I know that there are many different versions of this recipe, but this is the only one that I have had. My boyfriend put this together and it is awesome. My children eat multiple helpings every time we have it.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (you can add more if desired)
• 2 -3 medium garlic cloves , crushed
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small red onion
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 2 medium yellow crook neck squash
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 small eggplant
• 1 medium ripe tomato
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Rosemary, Parsley or Sage(Any combination of at least three of these herbs)

Directions:

1. Medium dice onion, bell pepper, squash, zucchini, eggplant, and tomato (Medium dice should be nothing larger than 1 cm cubed. Of course everything won't be perfect cubes, but some manner of consistency should be maintained when cutting all vegetables in this dish. Following this rule will ultimately enhance the visual appeal of the dish.).
2. Add the Olive Oil, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, and Crushed Garlic to a cold, not preheated, 3-4 liter stock pot. Set the temperature around med-low and just slowly sweat the garlic until it's nice and aromatic, careful not to brown it.
3. raise the temperature above medium (medium to med-high) and add the Onion and Red Bell Pepper and continue to sweat the vegetables, stirring occasionally. Add a small pinch of salt to help draw out some of the liquid in the onions and peppers. This should stew until the peppers are soft. Again, make sure not to brown anything and adjust the temperature accordingly.
4. When the peppers are soft add the Squash, Zucchini, Eggplant, Tomato and Fresh Herbs and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just cooked through and the tomato is nearly dissolved. This shouldn't take very long at all. If they're starting too get mushy, they've cooked too long.