Getting back to the eggplant rant--the best recipe for rattatouille is from Julia Child in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" volume one. As you can tell from the name, this is the (classic) French preparation of eggplant. Follow the recipe the way it is written--don't add a bunch of seasonings or herbs. Above all, the ingredients are cooked separately and combined to create a dish where all the components are discernable. Any cooking worth eating is worth the attention it requires. Eat this with roasted chicken or pork, or with any preparation of lamb, of course.
Next time I'll give you my method for eggplant Parmigiano--I'll gaurantee no one makes it better.