We have achieved vegetables!

Not a whole lot, but the zucchini and eggplant are looking good. Well… the eggplant is. The zucchini has some issues – I had to get rid of half of the plant – but it’s still producing as only a squash plant can!

The tomatoes are slow, the peppers are starting to come on strong… I’m sure everything will be in abundance just as we head north for a few days…

A nice-sized eggplant and several small zucchini definitely call for ratatouille – and a NY Times recipe suggested serving it over farro and topping it with an egg. Works for me!

Ratatouille is another one of those basic clean-out-the-refrigerator dishes. All recipes are pretty much the same – eggplant, zucchini, onions, bell peppers, garlic, and tomatoes – with a few variations on herbs and spices. But it’s still put it in a pot and make it hot. And then serve it hot or cold. I added an assortment of wild mushrooms and some baby broccoli because I wanted to use them up. Plus fresh basil and oregano we dried. When it was all done I added a splash of Sangiovese just to brighten it a bit.

I served it over wheat berries and topped it with a perfectly poached egg, a chiffonade of basil, and freshly-grated pecorino.

Not bad, at all.

And I even got the portions down right!