Vegetable Stew with Eggplant and Zucchini

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make a stew with eggplant and zucchini? First, get your ingredients ready.

2. Step 2:

   

   Halve the tomato and grate it on the fine side of a box grater, leaving the skin behind. Another way: score a criss-cross in the tomato, dip it in boiling water for a couple of minutes, peel it, then purée the flesh in a blender or grate it. You can also swap fresh tomatoes for store-bought diced tomatoes in their own juice.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cut the eggplant into half-moons and coat them all over in flour. I find it easiest to do this in a bag — the flour coats the eggplant quickly and evenly, and the excess stays at the bottom of the bag.

4. Step 4:

   

   Seed and stem the bell pepper and cut the flesh into medium cubes.

5. Step 5:

   

   Cut the zucchini into medium cubes. You can use regular pale-green squash or zucchini like I did. Younger zucchini with thin skins and small, tender seeds are best. If yours are older, peel them and scoop out the seeds.

6. Step 6:

   

   Peel the carrot and cut it into rounds or half-moons, depending on its diameter.

7. Step 7:

   

   Peel the onion and cut it into small cubes.

8. Step 8:

   

   Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onion and carrot.

9. Step 9:

   

   Next, spread the zucchini on top.

10. Step 10:

    

    Add a layer of the flour-coated eggplant over the zucchini.

11. Step 11:

    

    Spread the bell pepper and the puréed tomato over the top.

12. Step 12:

    

    Pour a cup of water into the pot. Set it on the stove and simmer, covered, over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes.

13. Step 13:

    

    Once the vegetables have released plenty of juice, stir them gently and taste. Add sugar, salt, and pepper to taste and stir gently again.

14. Step 14:

    

    Simmer the stew, covered, at a gentle bubble for another 20 to 25 minutes, or longer, until tender.

15. Step 15:

    

    Spoon the finished stew onto plates and serve hot. Enjoy!