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This week has been a wet and dreary one in LA. So yesterday, in an effort to cheer up the kitchen and fill the fridge with something we could eat for a couple of days, I broke out Dad's recipe for ratatouille.

In this case, Dad is authentically French, so his ratatouille recipe is what he learned to make while growing up. It's filling, it's full of vegetables, it gets better on the second and third day and it fills the kitchen with the heavenly scent of thyme, garlic and onions.

Dad's Authentic Ratatouille
Serves 4 for 2 meals

Ingredients (feel free to play with proportions as this is a more or less situation):

2 large eggplants, peeled and cubed into 1-inch cubes
6-8 zucchini, coined
3 bell peppers, roughly chopped (red are classic, but use what you have on hand)
5 cloves garlic, whole
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 yellow onions
1 bay leaf
3-4 sprigs thyme (fresh thyme is the key to making this Ratatouille taste right)
1 can whole tomatoes or 4 large tomatoes that are nice and ripe
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large pot sauté the onions in olive oil until brown, then add peppers and allow to soften. Stir in whole garlic cloves, tomatoes and bay leaf and turn heat down to a simmer and leave for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sautee eggplant and zucchini (they tend to get mushy if you throw them in with everything else but that can be good too and is easier than dirtying a second pan) until browned and softened.

Add the zucchini and eggplant to the simmering pot along with the sprigs of thyme and some salt and pepper (to taste) and allow to simmer at least another 20 minutes. Simmer longer if you want the flavors to really get good, or just reheat it the next day and you'll have the same effect.

Fish out the bay leaf and the whole garlic cloves and serve piping hot with crusty fresh baked bread or basmati rice. Add the minced garlic to the top of each serving.

Related: Ratatouille (In the Oven)

(Images: Laure Joliet)

Originally published January 22, 2010