Zucchini Stew with Tomatoes and Onions

Wow, I did not mean to go more than two whole months without posting any new recipes! But school's finally out for summer, and I have a few things up my sleeve to share.

It's still a little early in my neck of the woods for most of our local produce to make an appearance, but one vegetable that has a recurring role at my dinner table is zucchini. There are many, many ways to prepare this veggie, but my favorite (and one of the few ways my husband will willingly eat it), is a sort of Italian-style stew with onions and tomatoes. My mom used to make this all the time when I was a kid, and for some reason we referred to it as "fixed" zucchini. Not necessarily because other ways of cooking zucchini were "broken", of course, but I think because it was "fixed up" with herbs and such.

This family recipe is very easy and can be adjusted for any number of servings. If you serve it with some nice crusty bread, it can stand in as a light main course, perhaps for lunch. It also pairs well with grilled chicken as a side dish. I still recommend crusty bread to sop up all the juices.


Zucchini Stew with Tomatoes and Onions
Ingredients

• 2-4 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 can whole tomatoes or 2-3 small, ripe tomatoes, cut into quarters
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1-2 teaspoons dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

Start by prepping your veggies. I usually leave the skin on the zucchini, but you can remove it if you prefer. Toss everything into a large saucepan.

Generously season with salt, pepper, and basil, and stir to coat.

Sometimes you have to add a little bit of water to the pan, especially if your tomatoes aren't super ripe. But the veggies will release a lot of juices as they cook.

Cook on medium-low heat with the lid of your pan slightly askew, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is at least fork tender, about 45 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

As previously mentioned, serve it up with some crusty bread, and you're good to go!