Roasted Veggie Stew with Curry

This recipe started out at "Roasted Tomato and Eggplant Soup" from www.marthastewart.com. I found the recipe when a farmer sent 5 eggplants home with my husband one time. It was really good, but I changed it up a bit and this way was easier and has more veggies in it. I made this for a friend in WI one time and she loved it. It takes a little bit of time, but is so worth it and freezes well. Today I made a double batch, so I can freeze it. This is a soup that if you eat 1 serving of it, you are LOADED with veggies for the day. If I had fresh spinach, I would have chopped it up and tossed it in too.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 butternut squash

1 red pepper

1 eggplant

1 15 oz can of black beans

2 teaspoons or more curry powder

salt and pepper

1 28 oz can of tomatoes, undrained

4 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock)

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 teaspoons of minced garlic (or 10 fresh cloves of garlic chopped)

1/2 bunch of cilantro

Slice eggplant, sprinkle with salt, and allow it to sit in a colander in the sink for about 20 to 30 minutes. Peel and cut squash into 1 inch chunks, cut pepper into chunks as well. Preheat oven to 425. Drizzle squash and pepper with half of the EVOO and put it in a rimmed cookie sheet or 9 by 13. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Rinse eggplant slices and cut them into chunks. Drain beans, mix them with eggplant. Add remaining oil, curry powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and some pepper. Put in a separate rimmed baking sheet or 9 by 13 pan. Put both pans in the oven and roast veggies for about 40 minutes stirring them a few times during cooking. In a large pot heat up the other 2 Tablespoons of EVOO, add garlic. Saute for about a minute and then turn off the heat. When veggies are done add eggplant mixture to garlic and oil. Puree squash mixture and the can of tomatoes (with the juice), add to pot. Add chicken stock. If it needs it add extra curry powder. Let is simmer for about 15 minutes. Top with half a bunch of chopped cilantro. (I take a short cut and actually put the cilantro in with the tomatoes and squash when I am pureeing them. Saves me some time).