RATATOUILLE RETHOUGHT

4 baby eggplants or Italian eggplants
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
9 cloves garlic
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided use
12 cherry tomatoes
3 branches basil (leaves from 1 branch chopped finely)
2 sprigs thyme
1 zucchini, diced small

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Cut eggplants in half lengthwise, and using a pairing knife carefully "score" the eggplant flesh, creating a crosshatch pattern. Place cut side up in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper and place a garlic clove in the center of each eggplant half. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until fully cooked.

Meanwhile, rinse tomatoes and place in a small baking dish with 1 clove garlic, 1 branch basil and the thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven with eggplant the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove and keep warm.

In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add diced zucchini. Season with salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Add 1 branch basil to pan, remove from heat and toss to crush basil and flavor zucchini. Discard the basil.

Once eggplant is cooked, remove garlic and reserve. Use a spoon to scoop loosen the eggplant pulp from the shells but leave the pulp in the shell.

Place 2 eggplant halves, 3 tomatoes and a spoon of zucchini on each of 4 plates. Garnish with chopped fresh basil and roasted garlic cloves removed from eggplant.

Makes 4 servings
From: Chef Jeremy Hanlon, West Palm Beach
Adapted from source: Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel by Deborah S. Hartz