We’d stopped by after a trip to the deliciously cool library, and I’m thrilled to report that the selection of stands that sell honest-to-goodness local produce have multiplied since last year. (And please, try a dozen eggs from the cheese-chicken-and-egg guy. The yolks are globes so orange they glow like lava lamps.)
It was so hot I decided that meat just didn’t sound good for dinner. (This happens about twice a year.) What I craved was that vegetable stew from the south of
This is a classic French dish, although you can tinker with the proportions. The ingredients are standard for every pot of ratatouille, but if you want more peppers than zucchini or you’re a fool for eggplant, go ahead and do it your way. Imagine walking into your own Provencal garden in late summer and picking what’s looking good and plentiful that day.
Ratatouille requires olive oil, but please don’t spend the big bucks on Extra Virgin from
I advise you to make a big batch. I like ratatouille best at room temperature, but it’s wonderful hot and cold. It freezes well. It can be a side dish or a main—if you want to push up the protein, add a can of drained canned chick peas. (They’re Provencal too.) I like it lukewarm and straight up with a chunk of baguette the first night, but oh, the many other ways to enjoy ratatouille!
It’s great warm over pasta, polenta or grits. It plays well with plain grilled meat, fish or chicken. It loves eggs—as a side for scrambled, as an omelet filling or topped by a poached or fried egg, Smother it with cheese for a pizza topping, or spread it on slices of grilled French bread for
Dead ripe fresh tomatoes are ideal, but there’s no shame in substituting the diced canned variety. Technically you should peel the peppers, but I won’t tell anyone if you don’t. And I’ll give you my time-tested, invented-by-my-husband trick for the eggplant. Eggplant is an olive oil hog—one small eggplant can act like a pop-up sponge in a cup of olive oil. Here’s the simple solution when you’re doing your prep: place the eggplant chunks on a paper towel lined plate and microwave it on high for 45 seconds, then add it to the pot.
Many recipes advise cooking each vegetable separately, then combining them at the end. This isn’t worth the time and trouble, and I doubt if any French housewife would disagree with me.
RATATOUILLE
Ingredients:
½ cup (approx.) olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
1 medium eggplant,cut into one inch chunks (See above note on the eggplant)
2 ½ lbs. peeled, chopped tomatoes, or one large can diced tomatoes with their juice
3 bell peppers, red ,yellow or green.( I like one of each,)seeded and cut into one inch pieces
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, then cut into half inch slices
Salt and pepper
20 (approx.) leaves of fresh basil, torn in half
Preparation
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan with a lid or a big casserole.
Over medium heat, stir the onion and garlic until they soften slightly and release aroma. Remove them to a plate.
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and toss together the zucchini, eggplant and peppers.
Cook over medium heat until they’re partly softened.
Add the onions, garlic and tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. (Don’t skimp on the salt.) Allow the tomatoes to soften and the mixture to come to a slow bubble.
Cover the pot and turn the heat to low. Allow to cook for 40 minutes to an hour, until the vegetables are soft. If the mixture seems watery, raise the heat and allow it to boil down—the consistency should be that of any braised meat stew.
Remove from heat and check carefully for salt, adding more if necessary. Stir in the basil.
Ratatouille pairs well with iced tea, beer or a pinot noir. I love it with another marvel from
