Stewed summer vegetables

Okay summer's almost over but there's still time to make this easy stew. This recipe incorporates zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes on the vine. You’ve likely tried a version of it before but this one has no onions. Now I love onions, but if you have an intolerance to onions, you will appreciate this recipe. And even if you like onions, you will be surprised how good it still tastes without them. Of course, there's no saying you can't add them if you wish. 

Although it breaks my one-pot rule, this recipe is simple to make and well worth the extra dishes. Eventually, all the ingredients make it into one pot to simmer on low heat.

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 2 zucchini, also cubed
• 3 large vine tomatoes, chopped roughly and with vines retained
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed, left whole
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper

Method

1.    Heat up a large frying pan. Now put the eggplant into a colander and sprinkle with salt, then set over a bowl.

2.    Put a little oil into the pan and fry the zucchini for a couple of minutes, browning each side. Set aside in a bowl. Do the same with the red pepper.

3.    Quickly rinse the eggplant of the excess salt under running water, spread out on a tea towel and pat dry then fry and add to the rest of the veg.

4.    Lastly, cook the tomatoes in the pan for 3 minutes, then add the garlic cloves and all of the vegetables back into the pan with the thyme and bay leaves. Cover, turn down the heat, and cook for 20 minutes.

5.    After 20 minutes turn off the heat, lift the cover, season with salt and pepper, then throw in the reserved tomato vines for a minute before serving.

Enjoy this amazing stew as a side dish or a meal on its own. You won't be disappointed.