The Greek and Italian words for eggplant--melanzane and melitzanes--come from "mad apple," suggesting what people used to think would happen to you if you ate one. A member of the nightshade family, eggplant--which is really a fruit--won't make you crazy. And it isn't poisonous--another myth that took years to overcome.

This month's menu features Ratatouille Stuffed Eggplant, which makes a very attractive presentation, and rightly so. No one has ever disputed eggplant's visual appeal, and now the fruit is everywhere--in part because there are so many ways to prepare it. But when frying, be stingy with the fat because the porous flesh can absorb lots of oil--unless the eggplant is very fresh, has been soaked in salt water or rubbed with salt, or the oil is very hot. Eggplant tends to be bitter unless the flesh is salted and drained for at least 10 minutes in a colander. To help the process, apply gentle pressure by placing a dinner plate over the eggplant.

Ratatouille is a country French standard closely resembling a ragout. To make Ratatouille Stuffed Eggplant, begin by baking the "mad apples" in a moderately hot oven, with a quick finish under the broiler. This treatment gives the eggplants a rich and smoky flavor. The softened flesh becomes an essential part of the ratatouille, which is then stuffed into the eggplant shells and returned to the oven.

Sauced Fennel and Sweet Beans with Wild Rice is a delicious dish rich in fiber, soy protein and calcium. Aromatic fennel is a fabulous, multipurpose vegetable with a mild licorice flavor that is more pronounced when raw, and it tends to dissipate with longer cooking. Sliced fennel is combined with shelled edamame--also called "sweet beans"--yellow bell pepper and a light brown sauce to create a vegetable medley that has great texture and eye appeal. This tops wild rice, which is not rice at all but a highly nutritious grain from an aquatic grass seed native to North America.

Serve Gingered Apple-Berry Cobbler for dessert. In a delightful twist on a homey favorite, this cobbler with a filling of tart apples, strawberries and dried cranberries is topped with spicy gingerbread studded with toasted hazelnuts. Strawberries are a nice surprise in October, and the frozen strawberries add flavor and color to the filling.

Ratatouille Stuffed Eggplant

SERVES 8