A Farmers’ Stew

Another favorite from cooking goddess Deborah Madison that fits perfectly with this month’s Eat Local Challenge. Her description reads,
“It’s such an easy pleasure to make this dish, I always imagine it would be ideal for tired farmers at the end of the day- or tired anyone. While the onions sizzle in olive oil, you’re cutting eggplant and squash into big bold pieces. Into the pan they go, a thigh-fitting lid goes on top, down goes the heat, and the vegetables stew briefly in their own juices until tender. You can be completely relaxed and improvisational with this stew, for it really reflects the generous spirit of the market with all its choice and variety. Any kind of squash, onion, or eggplant will be fine, in any proportion. I find that some of the skinnier eggplants are interesting here: Yellow squash definitely enlivens the appearance; pattypans can be cut into thick wedges; zucchini into 2-inch logs, than halved or quartered, etc.”