Another Recipe

Cooking has very much been my artistic release. It is one of the ways I have made my apartment my home as well as adapted to my new culture. Whenever I try a new dish at a restaurant or a friend's house, I always add it to my growing collection of recipes. Here is the latest: roasted veggies. I tried this at an aperitivo place last night and really liked it. I didn't have the actual recipe so I don't know for sure if it is right but it tasted exactly the same to me.

(FYI The Italians LOVE their grilled or roasted veggies. I think I have eaten more here in the last 6 weeks than I have in my life! )

First, I sliced 1 red bell pepper and roasted it in olive oil in my grill pan. While that was cooking, I cubed 1 eggplant and sliced some leeks. I also put 1 sundried tomato in some hot water to soak. When the peppers where done, I set them aside and put the eggplant and leeks in the pan to cook just until soft. (remember to use salt on the eggplant - it helps it cook down better) I sliced the peppers into bite size pieces and added them back to the pan along with the sliced sundried tomato. I added some balsamic vinegar (just a splash) and about a tbsp. of cane sugar. I let it all cook together for probably 10 minutes or so until it was really soft and the balsamic/sugar had caramelized. I put it on a plate and tossed it with some fresh basil. Buon appetito!