Garden Bounty of eggplant, tomato, and basil leads to Farmer's Market Mania Gratin

When the garden or Farmer's Market is bursting at the seams with vegetables, this dish is the perfect one to whip up. Featuring Swiss Chard and Eggplant as center stage players in this easily adaptable dish was the plan because that is what I had on hand. You could grab a few other vegetable actors and make this dish sing a slightly different tune.

The inspiration for this recipe came from Debbie Madison’s cookbook “Vegetable Literacy”. I switched up a few items and made the dish a bit more hearty with more cheese. (And who doesn't like more cheese.)

The main actors of this eggplant and tomato gratin were Swiss Chard, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes, all of what I had on hand during the peak of summer. But in the fall kale, steamed butternut squash, and roasted and sliced beets might work great with a nuttier cheese like Gruyere.

Farmer’s Market Mania Gratin 

1 medium Eggplant - Italian type, like Rosa Bianca or Black Beauty - sliced thinly

1 medium zucchini - sliced thinly

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt to taste

1 garlic clove

12 cups swiss chard leaves chopped

1 small onion, diced

5 saladette tomatoes like Campari

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

Fresh thyme 

Fresh basil, I used thai basil, but genovese will also be good here. 

1.5 cups fresh bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350℉. Prepare eggplant and zucchini. Brush both sides with olive oil and place on a sheet pan. Season with salt. Bake for 15 minutes or until softened but not browned. Place cherry tomatoes onto a sheet pan coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, roast until they pop open and begin to soften. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Prepare a gratin or casserole dish with coating with olive oil and rubbing a half of the garlic clove over the inside surface. Mince the garlic clove

Heat a large sauté pan and add 1 tablespoon olive oil, add the onion and minced garlic, cook until it begins to become translucent. Next add the chard and season with fresh ground black pepper and cook until wilted. Remove into a colander placed over a bowl and press with the back of a spoon to reserve some of the liquid.  The liquid can be reserved to put in another dish like a soup or stew. 

Fresh bread crumbs are ideal here.

Now to assemble the dish. Place a layer of eggplant, then a few slices of zucchini, next place half the chard mixture then half of the tomato slices and roasted tomatoes, and scatter half the leaves of the thyme and basil. Next add half the mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat with a second layer, ending with cheese. 

Bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy.

Hot from the oven, Farmer's Market Mania Gratin