Slice and chop your favorite summer vegetables and then you have the option of a ratatouille with roasted or sauteed vegetables in the oven, on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Each has its pros and cons
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two sheet pans with foil or parchment paper.
Cut peeled eggplant, peeled zucchini and summer squash, tomatoes and peppers into similar sizes (about 1″ dice or chunk) and lay out on the sheet pan(s) (aka cookie sheets). It may take more than one sheetpan.See ingredient list for more specific cutting directions. Add several garlic cloves (peeled and thinly sliced) to each sheet pan.
1 eggplant, 1 zucchini, 1 yellow summer squash, 3 beefsteak type tomatoes, 2 large red bell peppers, 4-6 garlic cloves
Gather all the vegetables into a mound (or mounds if you have a lot) in the middle of the sheetpan and drizzle the mounds of vegetables with 1/4 cup olive oil. Sprinkle on the chile powder (if using) and about 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Mix the oil, salt and spice into vegetables gently with your hands and then spread veggies out on the sheet into a single layer.
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon hatch chile powder, 2-3 teaspoons sea salt
Roast vegetables in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, use a flat spatula to turn veggies over and roast for another 15-20 minutes.
While the veggies are roasting, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat the bottom with 2 Tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, crushed red pepper (optional) and season with salt, to taste. Sauté until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
1 large onion
Add the roasted vegetables to the skillet with the sautéed onions, along with the vinegar, oregano and thyme. Toss well to coat and add more olive oil, if needed. Taste to check the seasoning and transfer to a platter and serve.
1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Notes
To make in a crockpot or slow cooker:You simply layer one-half of each of the vegetables in the slow cooker in the following order: onion, eggplant, zucchini, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes. Repeat with the other one-half of the vegetables.Sprinkle with herbs and salt, drizzle olive oil over the top and cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours.