PROVENCAL SUMMER VEGETABLE BAKE

Provencal Summer Vegetable Bake image

Provided by Barb Tranello

Time 1h30m

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 medium sweet onions
3 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
2 clove garlic
1 can(s) cannelini beans
2 1/2 tsp souper spices herbes de provence
1/4 tsp pepper
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), ends trimmed, halved lengthwise
3 large summer squash (combination of zucchini and yellow squash)
1/2 lb pound russet potatoes
3 plum tomatoes
4 oz 4 ounces goat cheese

Steps:

1. Heat oven to 400°. Peel and halve onions; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in beans, 1/2 teaspoon of the Herbes de Provence and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Pour mixture into bottom of a 9 x 13 oven-safe casserole dish.
2. Meanwhile, cut eggplant, squash, potatoes and tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. (To speed things up, use a food processor fitted with a slicing blade or a mandolin.) Toss vegetables with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons Souper Spices Herbes de Provence and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
3. Arrange vegetables on top of onion-bean mixture in 1 layer; pack tightly. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and crumble goat cheese on top. Bake 15 more minutes. Cool slightly and slice into 4 servings. Tip Forget what you learned about salting eggplant. The theory is that it eliminates bitterness. But most varieties nowadays don't have that undesirable trait, so salting only serves to increase a dish's sodium level. Skip it.