Tomato, Zucchini, Squash and Caramelized Onion Gratin

Our friends invited us for dinner and I was asked to bring a side dish. I was craving something warm and comforting since it had been raining all day. I had a zucchini and a yellow squash to use up so I decided to try a gratin. Gratins normally have a rich white sauce that accompanies the vegetable but I wanted to keep it a bit healthy so I opted to use Parmesan cheese instead. I wanted it to be creamy so I threw in a layer of caramelized onions and garlic. It was beautiful, full of great veggies and flavors, easy to make and totally delicious! It went really well with my friend Kyle's Turkey Moussaka (which was amazing and I can't wait to re-create it). We had a lovely evening with friends, drank great wine, watched our kids play together and ate a spectacular dinner. A good night indeed.

• 6-7 large Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1 large zucchini (or 2 small ones), sliced
• 1 large yellow squash (or 2 small ones), sliced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 onions, sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, sliced very thin
• 1/4-1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 2-3 leaves of basil, chopped for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a large and deep baking dish (I used a large corning ware casserole dish) with olive oil cooking spray. Slice the zucchini, yellow squash, onion and tomatoes into thick slices.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot add the onion slices and sauté for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized- make sure you season with sea salt to taste. Add the garlic to the onions and sauté, stirring frequently for 60 seconds then remove from heat and let cool.

Layer the dish with first tomatoes then yellow squash, a bit of Parmesan then the layer of caramelized onions and garlic, then the zucchini and finally the last layer of tomatoes. I seasoned each layer (except the onions) with a little bit of sea salt and pepper. Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and sprinkle the dried basil on top and cover with a lid or tin foil.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the lid or tin foil and broil for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on top. Let cool for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy.

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A wonderful evening with great friends