Ratatouille

Servings:  6

Ingredients:

Ratatouille Ingredients
  • Olive oil 4 Tbsp, divided
  • Eggplant 1 medium
  • Onion, yellow 1 medium
  • Garlic 3 cloves peeled & minced
  • Bell pepper, frozen
green, red and yellow mix
8 oz.
or 1 red bell pepper
  • Tomato 1, 14.5 oz can diced
or 2 medium, peeled
  • Zucchini 1 medium
  • Yellow squash 1 medium
  • Herbs de Provence 1½ tsp
  • Salt 1/2 tsp
  • Pepper 1/4 tsp
    Reverse Columns

Directions:

  1. Cut the eggplant into strips, 1½" long, 3/4" wide and 3/8" thick. Mix in a bowl with 1 or 2 tsp kosher salt. Let drain for 1-3 hours. Rinse off the salt in a colander then pat dry with paper towels. This will remove some of the bitterness. To bypass this step, consider using a few smaller young Japanese eggplants. They are less bitter than the large mature eggplants and do not need to be salted.
  2. Chop all the vegetables before starting. Onions and bell pepper can be in strips, 1/4" wide, 2" long. Squashes can be in 1/4" thick half rounds.
  3. In a large non-stick fry pan, fry the eggplant in 2 Tbsp oil until browned on both sides. Set aside.
  4. In a Dutch oven, sauté the onions at a medium heat (4) until translucent. Add in the garlic. Stir for another minute.
  5. Add in the bell peppers. Sauté until half cooked.
  6. Add in squashes, tomatoes (with juice) and spices. Reduce the heat (3), cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  7. In the last 5 minutes add in the eggplant. Careful not to break it up when stirring.
  8. If there is a bit of water still on the bottom, boil uncover until reduced.

Notes:
Serve over couscous, polenta, rice or penne. For protein, sautéed tofu on the side works well, or try melting one of your favorite cheeses on top.

For couscous, prepare 2 cups Trader Joe's whole wheat couscous. Follow directions on the box. Makes about 6 cups when cooked.

Ratatouille can also be served on a grilled baguette for a hot open sandwich. Melt a slice of cheese on top. Swiss, provolone or jack are good choices.

In place of Herbs de Provence, a mixture of thyme, basil, savory and rosemary, you can use basil (1 Tbsp fresh chopped or 1 tsp dried), thyme (1/2 tsp dried) and parsley (1 Tbsp fresh chopped or 1 tsp dried).

To peel the tomatoes, core the stem end, score an X on the bottom, place in boiling water for 30 seconds then using a slotted spoon move to a bowl of ice water. When cooled, you can then easily hand peel them starting from the X on the bottom. Using a can of diced tomatoes instead will save a lot of time. Also, the juices from the can when reduced will add a tomato broth. If using fresh tomatoes, adding a little marinara sauce will give the broth a boost.

Ratatouille Meal


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