CIAMBOTTA, Southern Italian Vegetable Stew..recipes are dictated by the seasons...

In this case, what was looking best in the produce section of Delicious Orchards, Colts Neck ,NJ. A wonderfully overpriced, tourist laden former small farmstand in Monmouth County which now is a mecca on the weekends for fall tourists.  As a local, I find their seasonal produce to be top notch with a great selection of the mundane, as well as the more exotic hard to find varieties.  This last trip was in search of zucchini blossoms (u'sciurulli in Napoletana dialect), that great southern Italian treat that our Italian fathers and grandfathers used to pick in their backyard gardens.  Really hard to find unless you are growing the zucchini yourself, or...go to Delicious Orchards when they are in season(www.deliciousorchardsnj.com).  The produce bins started calling me after I bagged some of the blossoms...the fennel looks vibrant and fresh, the mushrooms were spot on, the grape tomatoes were local and bright, the zucchini, also local, were firm and right-sized, the local eggplants (are you seeing the emphasis on local grown??) were regally purple and firm.  My mind said, it's the fall, harvest time, Giambott', or in perfect Italian, Ciambotta...a seasonal vegetable stew from all over Southern Italy...brought to this country by the early immigrants.  It showcases seasonal vegetables, and is hearty enough to serve as a full meal, with good (GOOD, not supermarket bought) crusty Italian bread.  There is NO one recipe for this...regions and seasons dictate what goes into the pot...So, no two versions of this are ever completely alike.  Here is my fennel scented version I made:

1 pint grape (or cherry) tomatoes
2 cubes zucchini
1 cubed eggplant
2 diced onions
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
1 tsp fennel seeds (crushed between the palms of your hands, the smell is awesome)
2 tsp. fennel fronds, chopped
plenty of chopped flat-leaf(ALWAYS) parsley, some basil leaves
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 water
3 sliced cloves of garlic
lots of olive oil
salt, pepper, hot pepper flakes
1 can of Borolotti Beans, imported from Italy, I like Straniere brand (ok, shoot me in the foot, it's not a local product unless you live around Calabria)
pecorino romano

In a dutch oven, heat some olive oil.  Saute' the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and cook it for a good 10 minutes.  Test the eggplant to make sure it's soft.  Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon.  Saute' the zucchini and grape tomatoes for a good 8 minutes, also testing for doneness.  Remove to the bowl. Keep adding olive oil as you need it.  Saute' the onions , fennel,and mushrooms, for a good 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the fennel seeds, the garlic, and saute' for another 4 minutes.  Then add the wine, water, mix well, add the beans, some hot pepper flakes, and the contents of the bowl.  Mix well.  Simmer for 45 minutes...this is not a modern Italian style dish, the vegetables should be cooked through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Let it sit for 1/2 hour before serving.  Serve with good crusty bread, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of hot pepper flakes, and a dusting of pecorino romano.