Darjeeling Ratatouille

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon (15 mL) black Darjeeling tea leaves
1 cups (250 mL) water
1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp (10 ml) salt
1/2 tsp (10 ml) black pepper
1 lb (450 g) fresh plum tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp (15 ml) dried basil
1 Tbsp (15 ml) dried oregano
1 Eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch (2-3 cm) cubes
1 lb (450 g) new potatoes cut in half, about 6-8 potatoes
1/2 cup (125 ml) fresh basil, minced

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350° F (180° C)
2. Brew the tea in hot water (190 ° F/88 ° C) for 3 minutes, and then drain through a fine meshed sieve. Set liquid aside.
3. Pour the olive oil into a large ovenproof pan set over high heat. Stir in the zucchini, red pepper, red onion, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, tomatoes, basil, oregano, and eggplant. Add the reserved tea liquid to the pan.
4. Cover the pan with a lid and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water. Drain. Remove the ratatouille from the oven, stir in the cooked potatoes and fresh basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.
5. Serves six to eight.