Vegetable Stew with Pesto

1 lb Eggplant, in 1" cubes

1 tb Kosher Salt

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Red Bell Pepper

1/4 c Olive Oil

2 md Carrots, sliced

3 Cloves Garlic, crushed

6 md Tomates, peeled, seeded, and

Finely chopped, or 28 oz Can Tomatoes, drained and

Chopped 4 sm Zucchini, in 2" pieces

4 md Potatoes, peeled and cut in

1/2" cubes

1/2 c Chicken Broth

2 tb Basil Pesto

Salt and Pepper 2 tb Parmesean Cheese, grated

2 tb Fresh Basil, chopped, or

2 ts Dried Basil

2 tb Fresh Parsley, chopped

In a colander set in the sink, toss eggplant cubes with Kosher salt. Drain for 1 hour. Wipe eggplant dry with paper towels. While eggplant is draining, arrange green and red peppers on a baking tray. Broil 3" from heat until skins are evenly blistered red and charred about 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasiona;;y. Seal hot peppers in a paper bag for 10 minutes. Peel, seed and cut peppers in strips, holding them over a bowl to catch any juices. In a 6 quart nonreactive pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until transparent, about 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add eggplant and garlic. Cook until eggplant starts to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add tomatoes, zucchini, peppers with any juices, potatoes and chicken broth combined with the pesto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix gently. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 40 minutes until potatoes are tender. Combine Parmesean Cheese, chopped

basil, and chopped parsley. Sprinkle atop stew.