Wesley,

I'll skip to the bottom and post a link to the most fabulous recipe I discovered last summer when I had lots of tomatoes and eggplant and such in the garden. If you eat eggplant, you'll know that it is one of those vegetables that is so incredibly adaptable, but is one that is always cooked. I always peel it, and for preparation, I put the slices or pieces into a colander and sprinkle liberally with salt. After about 30 minutes I rinse it off and use the eggplant according to the recipe. (I don't do this for recipes where it is baked whole in the skin, like babaganoush).

In this instance, when you cook it this long it breaks down so that the chunks are mostly broken down and any that are detectable are not actually identifiable if you have anyone who thinks eggplant sounds like a strange vegetable.

The sauce that this recipe makes a wonderful rich tomato flavor, and works well in various dishes that you would use a marinara sauce in.

Lidia's Italy: Slow-Cooked Summer Tomato and Eggplant Sauce.

If you're short the fresh stuff you can go to Sam's Club or a restaurant supply place and buy one of those big cans of tomatoes, and pick up several pounds of eggplant at the store, along with the rest, and while I made this to can, you can also freeze it.

Slow-Cooked Summer Tomato and Eggplant Sauce

Makes about 3 quarts of sauce

5 pounds ripe plum tomatoes

3-1/2 pounds firm eggplants

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 cups finely chopped onions, about 1-1/4 pounds

1/4 cup finely chopped garlic

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon peperoncino (or to your taste) [I used diced sweet banana pepper from my garden]

3 or 4 large branches fresh basil with leaves

Recommended Equipment:
A heavy duty saucepan or Dutch oven, 8-quart capacity or larger, with cover

Prepare the tomatoes for sauce. Trim and peel the eggplants.Cut them lengthwise in 3/4-inch wide slices, stack the slices and cut them into 3/4-inch wide strips, then chop into 3/4-inch chunks.

Following the procedures for "Initial Sauté" in the main recipe, stir together the oil, the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the saucepan. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes, add the garlic and let it caramelize it in a "hot spot," then stir in a couple tablespoons of water and cook the onions and garlic together for a minute or two.   

Now pour the eggplant pieces into the pan, sprinkle on 1 teaspoon salt, and turn to coat the pieces with the oil and sautéed onion and garlic. Cook over low-medium heat, uncovered, stirring and turning the eggplant frequently. If the pan gets dry and the pieces start to brown, stir in several spoons of water; lower the heat if needed.      

Cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until the eggplant chunks are very soft, almost mushy, but still retain their shape. Pour in the prepared tomatoes and juices, rinse the tomato bowl with 2 or 3 cups water and pour it into the pan (the eggplant needs the additional liquid). Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the peperoncino and stir to blend everything together. Submerge the basil branches in the sauce, cover the pan and raise the heat to medium.   

When the sauce reaches the boil, lower the heat to keep an active simmer and cook, covered, for 40 minutes or so. The eggplant should now be broken down and melting into the tomatoes.

Uncover the pan and let the sauce bubble gently and gradually reduce. Stir carefully as it thickens, to make sure the eggplant doesn't stick to the pan bottom, lower the heat if necessary. Cook uncovered for a total of 45 minutes to an hour, until the sauce has the consistency you like, then turn off the heat. Pull out the basil before using, and store as in the main recipe.