Garden Ratatouille
What a way to use up the veggies from the over-productive garden! Add more veggies if you like—other colors of bell peppers are also good, as well as other varieties of summer squash. It’s especially delicious over couscous, which soaks up the liquid..

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra if needed
1 onion, chopped in 1 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
2 medium-sized zucchinis, sliced
1 large globe eggplant, peeled and cubed, or 4 Japanese eggplants, sliced (see note)
1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 15-oz can chopped tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
additional basil, cut in chiffonade, as garnisih

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sautZ until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and bell pepper; sautZ 5 more minutes. Add zucchini and eggplant, and more oil if necessary to keep vegetables from sticking to pan. Add herbs. When eggplant is soft and beginning to brown, add tomatoes, stirring until they begin to release liquid. Add tomato sauce and wine. Simmer over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm over pasta or couscous, garnished withi additional fresh basil if desired.

NOTE: Italian globe eggplants have a tendency to be bitter if they’re not very fresh. If you’re not sure how fresh yours is, you can sweat it to reduce the bitter liquids. Peel, cube or slice, and liberally sprinkle with salt. After 25 minutes, rinse off the liquid that has begun to “sweat” from the eggplant and prepare as directed.