Ciambotta Southern Italian Vegetable Stew - DrWeil.com

This vegetable-laden stew makes a delicious dinner with crusty bread.
When
reduced just a bit, it could also make a hearty pasta sauce.

1/2 lb. eggplant, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoons good, fruity extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
a large handful of fresh basil, stems removed, chopped
1 lb. ripe plum tomatoes, passed through a manual food mill, or peeled
and
chopped finely in the food processor (or use a 14-oz. can Italian plum
tomatoes, drained and processed)
3/4 lb. new potatoes, or any waxy potato, scrubbed and cut into 1x2-inch
pieces
1/2 lb. zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 large or 2 small sweet red or yellow peppers, seeded and cut into
1x2-inch
strips
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Toss the eggplant cubes in a colander with 2 teaspoons salt. Let it sit
in the sink until it starts to sweat out the bitter juices. Rinse them,
drain, them and pat dry, squeezing a little.
In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and celery.
Stir-cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, adding a little water as
necessary to
prevent sticking and burning. Add the basil and stir-cook for a minutes,
then
add the tomatoes. When it comes to a simmer, add the eggplant, potatoes
and
1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir, bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer,
covered,
for 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and peppers and simmer 15 minutes more,
or
until all of the vegetables are tender.
Taste for salt and pepper, transfer to a warm serving bowl, and allow to
stand 15 minutes before serving.

Variations: Use Yukon Gold potatoes instead of the waxy potatoes.

Instead of zucchini, you can use any summer squash, or try using
cauliflower
or fennel root.

Instead of eggplant, you can use mushrooms.

Soy-free
Serves 4
Recipe from "Nonna.s Italian Kitchen" by Bryanna Clark Grogan

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