Japanese Ratatouille: A Summery Stew

I've done a more traditional Ratatouille in the past, but as summer's bounty rolls in and I find myself with an abundance of sweet tomatoes, succulent peppers and tender eggplant, I couldn't resist the urge to try something a little different.

This isn't the French original, nor is it a Japanese dish, but the flavors and textures should be comfortingly familiar, no matter what part of the world you're from. To cut back on the amount of oil used and to save a little labor, I oven roast the vegetables first, and then throw them in a pot to simmer in a sweet miso and ginger sauce. The time in the oven brings out the sweetness and umami in each vegetable through the Maillard reaction, and the brief simmer gives the flavors a chance to meld.

The result is a marvelously rich mélange of vegetables, with creamy eggplant, velvety kabocha, and tomatoes and peppers that sing with flavor. The miso ties all these ingredients together with its earthy umami, and a hint of ginger and sesame oil adds accents that bring complexity to this simple summer stew.

While it's delicious straight out of the pot, it gets even better with time. That's why I'd recommend making it a day in advance and letting it rest overnight in the fridge before reheating and serving.