It’s getting close to the end of tomato season, so I am looking for opportunities to use them along with other fall vegetables. I chose to combine them with eggplant on the advice of a retired ex-military leader gourmand I have met at the swimming pool who said recently “I am enamored with eggplant.” Not being at one with this particular vegetable, I decided to give it another try. I think you will like this.

3 large sweet onions, peeled and sliced thinly
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons trans fat-free margarine or butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ teaspoons dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tomatoes, sliced into rounds a little thicker than ¼”
3 Japanese eggplants (skinny) or one large globe eggplant, sliced into ¼” rounds

Cook the garlic and onions over low heat in 1 Tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil along with the thyme and bay leaf, seasoning with salt and pepper, for about five minutes, or until the onion is soft and not brown.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a baking dish (simple version of a gratin dish, whatever that looks like). Discard the bay leaf. Spread the onions and garlic over the bottom of the dish. Layer the eggplant rounds artfully overlapping them to cover about 2/3 of the one below. Usually you will start out with good intentions to make it perfect and then abandon that strategy as reality strikes. Layer the tomatoes over the eggplant. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 30 minutes looking at it part way and spooning released juices over the tomatoes. Uncover for 15 minutes more, or until the eggplant is tender. This is a good side dish for grilled or roasted meat of your choice.

Makes 6 Servings

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories: 134
Fat: 8 gm
Saturated Fat: 1 gm
Trans Fat: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrate: 16 gm
Fiber: 5 gm
Protein: 3 gm
Sodium: 133 mg

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