Summer Roasted Vegetable & Rice Gratin

This is great comfort food that uses what is plentiful in the garden – tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant and sweet peppers.  It’s vegetarian but you could easily add roasted chicken or sauteed Italian or Breakfast Sausage, Ground Beef or Ground Pork.

2 cups uncooked brown rice, long-grain
5 tablespoons olive oil
A mixture of sliced onions, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant – any vegetable you like roasted will be good. Use enough to fill at least two cookie sheets. Slices should be about ¼” thick.  Peppers can be halved or quartered, seed cavity removed.
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
6 eggs.
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or ½ t dried thyme leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan, divided

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cook the rice according to your favorite method.

While rice cooks, coat two large baking sheets each with a tablespoon of olive oil. Spread vegetable slices on the baking sheets in a single layer and drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Roast until vegetables are al dente – 20-25 minutes. Leave oven on.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, then add onions, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the pan. Cover and reduce heat to low, cooking onion until limp and tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Combine onion mixture, rice, eggs, thyme, half of your grated cheese and a good dash of olive oil in a bowl.  Use less eggs if your mixture becomes too soupy.  Add freshly ground black pepper. Coat a 4-quart baking dish with olive oil. Spread half of the rice mixture in bottom of the dish. Arrange half of roasted veggies on top. Spread remaining rice mixture over veggies. Arrange remaining veggies on top. Sprinkle with remaining grated cheese and bake until set and golden brown, about 20 minutes. The top should be brown, rice set, and juices bubbling.