Skillet Zucchini with Eggplant and Tomatoes

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make skillet zucchini with eggplant and tomatoes? It's really easy. Start by prepping the vegetables from the list. Beyond what's listed, feel free to add other vegetables you like. Wash and dry all the vegetables.

2. Step 2:

   

   Cut the zucchini into medium cubes. Which zucchini works best? Choose young ones with tender skin. Wash and peel them — you don't have to remove a very thin skin. If you're using more mature zucchini, cut off the tough peel and scoop out the seedy center.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cut the tomatoes into medium pieces. Choose tomatoes that are juicy but firm. Soft ones don't hold their shape well — they'll break down into mush as you slice and cook them and spoil the look of the dish.

4. Step 4:

   

   Partway through, I decided to add some yellow tomatoes for extra color.

5. Step 5:

   

   Wash the eggplant, dry it, and cut it into large cubes. If the eggplant is bitter, salt it and let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse. Drain off the liquid that's drawn out, rinse the eggplant, and go ahead and cook. Note that you don't always need to draw out bitterness — young eggplant usually isn't bitter, and neither are certain special varieties.

6. Step 6:

   

   Cut half an onion into half-rings. If you or your kids don't care for onion, feel free to leave it out.

7. Step 7:

   

   Finely chop the garlic.

8. Step 8:

   

   Wash, dry, and finely chop the fresh herbs. Use whatever herbs you like — I'm using parsley. Green onions, cilantro, dill, ramps, and others all work too.

9. Step 9:

   

   Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet. Add the sliced zucchini, onion, eggplant, and tomatoes.

10. Step 10:

    

    Pour in the water. Simmer the vegetables over low heat, covered, for 40–50 minutes without stirring. They should shrink by about a third and release plenty of juice.

11. Step 11:

    

    About 10–15 minutes before it's done, sprinkle everything with the chopped garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep simmering, covered, until tender. If you like, sprinkle the vegetables with dried herbs too — herbes de Provence or a special vegetable blend, for example.

12. Step 12:

    

    Right at the end, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and turn off the heat. Enjoy!