I travel too much for work to be part of a CSA but I have a wonderful farm stand nearby and headed over there this weekend to see what they had for their summer bounty. And I wanted a recipe to make something that used it all: squash, tomatoes, eggplant. This recipe comes from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller. The cookbook has one of my all-time favorite recipes of Roast Chicken on a Bed of Root Vegetables--but since the whole point to this blog is new recipes --I decided to keep turning pages until I found a way to use the summer veggies.
I warn you--once you make this you will find yourself planning to make it again. The onions caramelize into a sweet oniony jam. The veggies melt together and the bread crumbs make for a savory veggie crisp. You will look forward to someone asking you to bring a side dish. This one's a keeper.
Ingredients
2-3 tomatoes
1 medium yellow squash
1 medium zucchini
1 Japanese eggplant or baby eggplant
Canola oil
3 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 dried bread crumbs
Preheat Oven 350
Slice the vegetables into rounds very thin. Keep each of the vegetables together--and drizzle with olive oil.
Heat Canola oil in pan and saute onions and garlic until they are soft and golden. I like them a bit more carmelized than the original recipe. About 20 min.
Combine Parmesan and bread crumbs
Spread onion mixture into bottom of casserole (9X13 or 13" round).
Layer vegetables in the dish, working in rows, or in a circle around the outside. After each row, sprinkle the veggies with cheese mixture, and then place another row of veggies. Keep this pattern until all the veggies are in the pan. Top with any remaining cheese mixture.
Bake for 1-1.5 hours
Remove from oven and allow gratin to rest for 10 min.
Turn on Broiler. Just before serving, place gratin under the broiler to brown the top.