Meatless Monday Recipe - Summer Dish

I have had this dish at least once every summer since I was a kid. It really is a one-pot meal, incorporating the bounty of summer veggies all together in one delicious pot. It is hard to classify, as it's not exactly a stew, but neither is it a casserole. My mom's recipe card (which I copied for my own prolific recipe collection a few years ago) simply calls it "Summer Dish," which I suppose is as good a description as any.

A yummy bowl full.

This makes a huge pot, but luckily it is great reheated. Divide it into individual portion-sized containers for a grab & go lunch option. Even the kids may like this one, as you can disguise a lot of vegetables in here. You can cook the brown rice a day ahead to make it faster, but it really doesn't take long - the rice will probably take longer than the rest of it.

Summer Dish:

• Saute 1 chopped onion and one (or more) anaheim or other hot pepper in 1 TB olive oil + 1 TB butter.

• Add 1 medium-sized peeled and diced eggplant, and continue saute.

In a separate large pot or dutch oven, bring to a simmer:

• 6-8 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 6-8 patty pan squash, yellow summer squash, zucchini, or a combination, diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic

• Add saute to simmering tomatoes & squash when browned. Continue to simmer until vegetables are tender. 
• Add 1 TB chopped fresh parsley and 1 TB chopped fresh cilantro or basil. 
• Add 4-6 cups cooked brown rice. Mix well.
• Top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

As usual, feel free to improvise, substitute, and make it your own! Try different herbs, different cheeses, maybe noodles instead of rice?  It is also okay to use canned tomatoes instead of fresh if you don't have them. I use about 2 14-oz cans (or 1 28-oz) of diced tomatoes if using canned.