When I saw the eggplant in my CSA basket last week, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Yes, I yelped. I’ve been waiting for eggplant to appear for weeks, which is a funny thing since I didn’t eat it at all for many years.

When I was in my early 20s, coworkers of mine gushed about a fabulous eggplant parmesan sandwich sold at a local restaurant. They urged me to try it, but I sharply resisted … after all, eggplant was on my “no way” list. I played it safe with chicken parmesan, and told them no way, no how would I ever eat eggplant. Ever.

My aversion started in childhood. When I was a little girl, my mother used to tell me everything was chicken — what’s this shrimp-like thing? Chicken. This breaded circle? Chicken. The whole thing completely backfired. I didn’t eat shrimp until a few years ago. But the eggplant was the most traumatizing — when I bit into the breaded circle and felt seeds swimming around my mouth, I gagged. I didn’t eat eggplant for more than 20 years — close to 25.

Thank goodness for maturity. A few years ago, I started opening up to try things that I didn’t think I liked. After all, if I asked that of my husband, shouldn’t I be willing to try things again too? As a result, I have discovered a fondness for shrimp, an adoration of squashes and even a fondness for eggplant.

As a sidenote, I am firmly against lying to my kids about what they are eating. When I make bread with zucchini or cupcakes with squash, they know it.  The sneaky food movement? Totally not my thing.

Back to the eggplant. All summer, I have been waiting to make two things: eggplant parmesan and ratatouille. I made ratatouille in the crockpot a few years ago, but I rarely use that anymore … and I wanted a version that would cook up faster and without heating the chicken. This Grilled Ratatouille does the trick.

Ratatouille is kind of like an all-star summer veggie dish. Eggplant, zucchini, onions, garlic, tomatoes and more are chopped and grilled in a foil packet until tender. Then the dish is finished with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It’s warm and comforting and so flavorful. The vegetables retain their shape, but the flavors meld and blend … it’s just perfect.

Do you have any traumatizing food stories from your childhood? Share in the comments.

Grilled Ratatouille
serves 8
NOTE: Scroll down for the printable recipe

2 slim eggplants, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
1 sweet red pepper, cut into 1
2 large plum tomatoes, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar

In a large bowl, stir together the eggplant, onion, red pepper, tomatoes, garlic, zucchini and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper well. Stir again.

Lay out a large sheet of aluminum foil and spread the vegetable mixture in the center. Top with a second sheet of aluminum foil. Seal the edges tightly.

Turn on your grill (if using a gas grill) and set to high heat. Place the foil pack on direct heat and cook for 35 minutes. If using a charcoal grill, cook a little longer to ensure that all the vegetables are tender.

Transfer the vegetables to a serving bowl and drizzle with balsamic vinegar (just a couple tablespoons!). Stir well.

Serve immediately.