Stewed Vegetables with Eggplant and Zucchini

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you stew vegetables with eggplant and zucchini? There's no need to peel the eggplant, since most of its nutrients are in the skin. These days there are eggplant varieties without that telltale bitterness, so they don't need soaking or salting to draw it out. Cut the eggplant into large cubes or strips.

2. Step 2:

   

   Rinse the bell peppers, halve them, remove the stem and seed core, and cut the flesh into strips. For a dish that's both tasty and colorful, use peppers of different colors if you can.

3. Step 3:

   

   Peel the onion and dice it with a knife.

4. Step 4:

   

   Wash and peel the carrot. If it's young and fresh from the garden, a quick scrub with a stiff brush is enough. Cut it into large pieces, cubes, or strips.

5. Step 5:

   

   Wash the tomatoes, cut out the stem end, and cut them into large chunks.

6. Step 6:

   

   Cut the young zucchini into cubes as well. If the zucchini is more mature, peel off the skin and scoop out the seedy core first, then cube the flesh.

7. Step 7:

   

   Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet (olive oil makes it a bit healthier) and heat it up. Sauté the onion until translucent.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add the rest of the vegetables to the onion. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then with a spatula, until the vegetables release their juices. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

9. Step 9:

   

   Pour in a little water, stir, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the vegetables for about 20 minutes. For a pleasant aroma and a touch of heat, add a minced garlic clove at this point, then cook uncovered for another 7 minutes or so to let the excess liquid cook off. Turn off the heat. The dish is ready. Serve and enjoy!