This Saturday, farm market enthusiasts may want to stop by the Kendall-Jackson Farm Stand in Santa Rosa for some coffee and pastry, cheese and wine, plus a wide selection of garden produce and tasty street food.  Where else can you drink wine while you shop and rub shoulders with some of Sonoma County’s finest chefs?

The once-a-month market starts at 10 a.m. Aug. 6  and runs until 1 p.m., offering a wide array of mid-summer veggies: leeks and green beans, spinach and fennel, arugula and collard greens, zucchini and peppers, plus all kinds of fresh, summer herbs for pestos.  The street food trucks   serve up Indian and Chinese fare from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 The Kendall-Jackson Wine Center won’t have another farm stand until  Oct. 1, so this is a good opportunity to check out something new and different. The Kendall-Jackson Wine Center is located at  5007 Fulton Rd.

Here’s a recipe from Kendall-Jackson Executive Chef Justin Wangler for a tasty summer vegetable dish: ratatouille.  What could be easier and more delicious?

Ratatouille with Summer Herbs

Serves 6

1 globe eggplant (about 1 pound), unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

Kosher salt for sprinkling, plus 1 teaspoon

½ cup olive oil

1 sweet onion, cut into 1-inch cubes

½ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/3 cup tomato paste

3 tablespoons minced fresh basil

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with the salt. Let stand until moisture begins to bead on the surface of the eggplant, about 15 minutes.

Pat the eggplant dry. Spread on a sided baking sheet and pour ¼ cup of olive oil over the eggplant. Toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon salt. Bake, turning once or twice, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining ¼ cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the zucchini, bell pepper and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté until the pepper is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have melted , about 20 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook until the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Stir in the basil, sage and oregano. Season with pepper and adjust the seasonings to taste. Divide among 6 small plates and serve.