Serves 6 to 12

1 pound eggplants
3/4 pound onions, sliced
About 4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pound red or green sweet peppers, seeded and sliced
1/2 pound zucchini, sliced into rounds
12 pound green beans (or okra, cleaned)
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and finely chopped
4-6 sun-dried tomatoes (optional, for when the fresh ones are uninspiring),
cut into bits with kitchen shears and soaked in 1/4 cup boiling water, or
ready-soaked in oil, or used 2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup ouzo or other anise-flavored liqueur
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon mountain thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Cube the eggplants and soak them in heavily salted water for 30 minutes or more. Drain well and pat dry.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot (or flameproof casserole), fry the onions in 4 tablespoons olive oil over gentle heat until translucent. Sprinkle with sugar
and caramelize them. Add the eggplant cubes and sauté until brown. Stir in
the sweet peppers, zucchini, beans and garlic. Add more oil if necessary,
and continue cooking at high heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add
the chopped tomato and cook until a sauce begins to form. Then pour in the ouzo and season with bay leaves, thyme, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper.
Simmer, covered, over very low heat until the juices are absorbed. Alternatively, bake the stew (transferring to an earthenware casserole or roasting pan if need be), uncovered, in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F
for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in the parsley and serve hot or cold.