You've heard the story "Stone Soup" where two vagabonds outwit the villagers into producing them a meal. It turns out to be a win/win as the stone soup is enhanced and enjoyed by all. My last picking of the garden took a bath together and too puny to be served singly ended up in the stock pot together.
Here's the basic recipe for my kitchen sink ragout:
Saute 3 cloves of chopped garlic and one medium chopped onion till lightly browned in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large pot. Stir in 2 cups of chopped zucchini, 2 cups of chopped eggplant, 2 chopped and seeded mild sweet peppers of your choice and cook until tender. Remove the vegetables from the pan and reserve in a bowl. Add another tablespoon or so of olive oil and saute a cup of sliced mushrooms (I added frozen hen of the woods) from last autumn. Add 2 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes or substitute with a large can of fire roasted tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until the tomatoes thicken. You can add in a third to a half cup of red wine or dark beer. I used CutThroat Porter by O'Dell Brewing. Add back the reserved cooked vegetables to the pot with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in a good half cup of fresh snipped basil and or thyme. Serve over noodles or smashed potatoes. Share it with the village.
