Thinking Italian with the late summer harvest: eggplant...tomatoes...basil

I picked up a couple of eggplants from the farmer's market yesterday along with the usual armload of summer tomatoes and basil.  There's a reason the Italians combine these flavors together.  Not only do they taste wonderful with each other, but they all come to harvest at the same time, making them a summer farmer's market natural.

I also picked up this gorgeous torpedo onion and some locally grown garlic.

Here are the two small eggplants I chose.

Of course, I tossed it all in a pan and cooked it up.  The results...a delicious summer evening side dish.

Summer Eggplant Saute'

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil

1 torpedo onion or regular sweet onion chopped

2 small eggplants peeled and chopped into 1/4-1/2" pieces

1 garlic clove

1 t Himalayan pink salt crystals

1/2 t dried oregano

1/2 t dried thyme

1/4 t Valle del Sol chilli powder

4 tomatoes choppped

2 T butter

2 T fresh chopped basil

Put the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the onion.  Saute' at medium heat until the onion starts to turn translucent.  Add the remaining ingredients and continue to saute' until all vegetables are soft.  If needed add an extra tablespoon or so of water to the pan.