I first fell in love with ratatouille from watching the Pixar mover that swept America a few years ago. If you get a chance, rent it out, whether you’re a foodie or not, and most especially if you have wee kiddies! Ratatouille has since become a staple vegetable dish in my repetoire, and can be paired with so many proteins: soft-boiled egg, omelette, lamb, chicken, fish, chick-pea burgers, tempeh, you name it! It’s also delicious cold, and it’s ridiculously easy to make, utilizing some pretty nutrient dense, but calorically light vegetables too. In the summer, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers are bountiful and cheap, and you can tweak the recipe by adding mushrooms or sliced olives, (a more mediterranean version would include golden raisins, but just a few). The slow cooking method intensifies the flavors, and once you try it, I’m sure it will become a favorite for you too!
what you need
1 medium onion
3-4 roma tomatoes
3 T olive oil
1 large red bell pepper
1 large eggplant
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 large zucchini
fresh basil
salt
1. Peel and cut the onion in half lengthwise, and then into fairly thick pieces, about 3/4″. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion.
2. Cut up the eggplant into even-sized chunks, about 3/4″, and add to the pot. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring now and again to prevent sticking. Cut the zucchini into similar sized chunks and add it to the pot, tossing everything together. Make sure you let the vegetables brown, so don’t stir too much, but if they start to stick to the pot, you can add a little bit of water. Cut the pepper into 3/4″ pieces, and add them in, salt everything, cover the pot, and let cook for another 6 – 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3.Roughly chop the tomatoes, and add them to the pot, along with the balsamic. Cook, covered, for another 10 minutes, until everything is tender and the liquid has cooked down. Taste, and add salt if needed. Sprinkle some sliced basil on top, and maybe a little crumble cheese like feta.
variations
I also like to add sliced olives or capers to the mix, in the last five minutes of cooking. Some whole mushrooms can also be delightful, and roasted garlic will add a lovely sweet, rich note.
