Molly O'Neill's Summer Minestrone

Step 1

Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Place in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Weight the eggplant with a can placed on a small plate and set the colander in the sink to drain for at least 1 hour. Then rinse the cubes thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.

Step 2

Cut the potato and carrot into cubes the same size as the eggplant. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, discard the seeds and white membrane and slice thinly.

Step 3

Turn the heat to medium-high and add the the oil to a big heavy saucepan. Saute the eggplant and potato for about 5 minutes, or until they just start to brown along the edges. Stir in the onion and celery, lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring, until the onion softens and starts to turn golden. Add the carrot, chard, green beans and pepper and stir to combine well.

Step 4

Add 1/2 cup hot water to the pan, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, zucchini and the aromatics along with the chili pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, adding small amounts of water from time to time if necessary. Remove the bay leaf and serve immediately.