Ingredients

• 1  small onion, thinly sliced
• 1  clove garlic, minced
• 1  tablespoon cooking oil
• 1  recipe Cheesy Polenta (recipe follows) or 1 16-ounce package refrigerated cooked polenta or 3 cups hot cooked rice
• 1  small green sweet pepper, seeded and cut into strips
• 1/2  small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1  large yellow summer squash or zucchini, sliced
• 1  large tomato peeled and cut into wedges
• 1  tablespoon snipped fresh basil
• 1/8  teaspoon salt
• 1/8 to 1/4  teaspoon pepper
• 3  tablespoons snipped parsley
•   Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
•   Fresh flowering basil sprig (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare Cheesy Polenta or, if using, purchased polenta or rice according to package directions. Cover and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, in a 4-quart pot cook sweet pepper, onion, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add eggplant; cook 5 minutes more, stirring frequently. Stir in summer squash or zucchini, tomato, snipped basil, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley.

3. To serve, top warm polenta or rice with ratatouille mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over each serving and garnish each serving with flowering basil, if desired. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Cheesy Polenta: In a large saucepan bring 2-3/4 cups water to boiling. In a bowl combine 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup cold water. Slowly add cornmeal mixture to boiling water in saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture returns to boiling. Add 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese; cook, uncovered, over low heat about 5 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Makes 3 cups.