Melinda Lee - Clear Channel News, Los Angeles
Ratatouille is a simple and extremely versatile vegetable medley that is said
to have originated in Provence - the sunkissed region on the Mediterranean Sea,
in the South of France. None of the ingredients required are unusual - and all
are easily found in our local markets - but the combination is wonderful!
Ratatouille (pronounced "ra-tuh-TOO-ee") may be served hot or at
room temperature. It is a lovely side dish (especially nice with grilled or
roasted meats or poultry) and even can be served as a vegetable course of its
own.
It is great stirred into scrambled eggs, enclosed in a crepe, or served with
crackers as an hors d'oeuvre. With cheese melted over the top, or crunchy toasted
breadcrumbs, ratatouille may be served as a vegetarian main course, perhaps
with a salad and warm country bread alongside.
When prepared without rushing, so flavors can develop fully, it is truly delicious
and so useful that ratatouille surely should be part of every cook's repertoire.
Don't hesitate to add or subtract vegetables as you choose - this is simply
my version. And it's best made in advance (if you can wait!)
SERVES ABOUT 12
2 cups, fruity olive oil (approximate measure)
4 small eggplants (about 4 pounds)
- cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 teaspoons, kosher salt (approximately)
plus salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste, as described below
1 1/2 pounds, onions (about 6 medium-size onions)
- peeled and coarsely chopped
6 medium-size zucchini
- quartered lengthwise, cut into 2-inch strips
2 medium-size red bell peppers
- stemmed, seeded, cut into 1/2 –inch strips
2 medium-size green bell peppers
- stemmed, seeded, cut into 1/2 –inch strips
1 medium-size yellow bell pepper
- stemmed, seeded, cut into 1/2 –inch strips
2 tablespoons, minced garlic (or more, to taste)
3 cans (16-ounce size), Italian plum tomatoes – drained
1 can (6 ounce size), tomato paste
1/4 cup, chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons, dried thyme
2 tablespoons, dried basil
2 tablespoons, dried oregano
1/2 cup, pitted black olives (or more, to taste)
lemon wedges (optional)
fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cubed eggplant with the kosher salt and
about 1 cup of the olive oil. Spread the oiled and salted eggplant over the
bottom of a shallow roasting pan, and cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake
the eggplant in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from
the oven, remove the foil covering, return the uncovered pan to the oven, and
continue cooking the eggplant for about 15 minutes more, or until tender. Stir
the eggplant often (and gently) during this cooking time. When the eggplant
pieces are tender, remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil. Saute the onions until they become
tender but not brown, add the zucchini and continue cooking until zucchini is
tender – stirring often, adding salt and pepper to taste. Add the bell
peppers, and the garlic and cook for about 10 minutes or until the peppers begin
to become soft. Add the tomatoes (you may wish to tear the tomatoes into pieces
using your fingers) and the tomato paste, then add the parsley and the dried
herbs. Add freshly ground pepper to taste (you may or may not need to add salt
at this time – taste, then taste again later to adjust seasonings).
Simmer this mixture for about 10 minutes, then add the cooked eggplant and
continue simmering for another 10 minutes or longer, depending on the texture
you prefer. [Cook’s Note: The best flavor will result from a long, slow
cooking – until the liquid around the vegetables is thickened and syrupy.
If you prefer crisper vegetables, you may stop cooking sooner – but the
liquid will be more watery, and the flavor less deep.]
Taste the completed ratatouille, and correct seasonings. Stir in the olives
(if using). This dish may be served hot or at room temperature, with (optional)
lemon wedges to squeeze over, and fresh basil leaves for garnish.
[Cook’s Notes: The flavor of ratatouille mellows over a day or two. It
must be refrigerated for storage, but return the dish to room temperature (or
heat it) before serving. If very cold, the flavors will recede. A few spoonsful
of olive oil may be stirred through at serving time, if desired.]
