Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 30 ml olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced 2cm
Vegetables & Seasoning
- 1 eggplant, cubed 2cm
- 2 zucchini, sliced half-moons
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 g dried thyme
- 5 g salt
- black pepper
- 10 g fresh basil, torn
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Prepare the vegetables. Dice the onion and red bell pepper into 2cm pieces. Mince the garlic. Cube the eggplant into 2cm chunks and slice the zucchini into 1cm thick half-moons.
In a large microwave-safe casserole dish, combine the olive oil, diced onion, minced garlic, and red bell pepper. Cover and microwave on High (approx. 800-1000W) for 5 minutes until onions are translucent.
Carefully remove the lid (watch for steam). Add the cubed eggplant and dried thyme. Stir well to coat the eggplant in the oil and aromatics. Cover and microwave on High for another 5 minutes.
Add the zucchini, crushed tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Stir gently to combine. Cover and microwave on High for 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove from the microwave and keep the lid on. Let the stew rest for 5 minutes. This allows the residual heat to finish cooking the vegetables and helps the flavors settle. Stir in fresh torn basil before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Uniformity is key in microwave cooking. Ensure all vegetables are cut to the specified size to guarantee they finish cooking at the same time.
- Do not skip the resting time. Microwaves excite water molecules rapidly; the resting period allows the heat to equalize throughout the solid vegetable pieces.
- This dish tastes even better the next day as the acidic tomato sauce mellows and penetrates the eggplant.
- If you want a richer finish, drizzle with a little raw extra virgin olive oil just before serving.
- Serve hot as a main course with crusty bread or rice, or serve cold as an antipasto side dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Flavors meld and improve significantly after 24 hours.
Freezer: 3 months — Texture may become slightly softer upon thawing.
Reheating: Microwave in 1-minute bursts or simmer gently on stovetop.
