my favorite ratatouille recipe

For years I avoided ratatouille. Even when I was cooking at Le Bocage , I made it, but I didn't much like it. All that changed when I started tinkering with a low-fat, low oil recipe. All of a sudden I was in some sunny , basil-scented country, sitting at a long table with 19 smiling friends..............oh, it was glorious, and I never get tired of it.

You will need:

4 T. virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1 red pepper, chopped in 1 inch pieces

1 yellow or orange pepper, chopped in 1 inch pieces

1 medium-large eggplant, very fresh, very firm, cut in large dice

2 zucchini, green or a mix of yellow and green, large dice

a large can of Italian plum tomatoes

several tablespoons of Green Mountain Gringo salsa, mild

tomato paste ( optional)

basil, oregano, salt and pepper

Heat oil in large pot. Add the chopped onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add the peppers, eggplant, and zucchini, stir, lower heat a little, and cover pot. Cook about 15 minutes, uncover, then add the tomatoes and salsa, and the herbs and salt and pepper. Start with one tablespoon dried basil ( or fresh), and a teaspoon of dried oregano to begin. Taste and season as you wish. If you want a little more tomato oompf, add a tablespoon of tomato paste. Stir and cook uncovered until vegetables are just soft. You may need to add a little water - I usually add about a half cup of water. I've also been known to add a small can of V-8 juice to the ratatouille along with the salsa..

This freezes really well - so you might as well double the recipe.