Tasty Ratatouille
I have been eating more vegetables recently, and avoiding meat. We don’t have much access to meat from humanely and naturally raised animals up here yet, and industrially raised animals suffer brutal lives, are fed with GMO feed and are full of chemicals, antibiotics and hormones.
Eggplant is a wonderful vegetable with a kind of meaty and satisfying texture. I made a batch of this ratatouille the other day that is simply addictive! It is delicious at any temperature. You can serve it hot on top of rice or other cooked grains or quinoa, or eat it cold in a salad or a wrap.
Or eat it right out of the fridge like I do!
The word “ratatouille” simply means a combination of eggplant, peppers, zucchini, onions and herbs. It is totally up to the cook what the proportions of each are in the finished dish.
I peel the eggplant firs, as I don’t like either the texture or the taste of the peel, but some people do.
Also, in the interests of convenience and cost, I use canned tomatoes. A 14 oz can in this recipe was enough for me, if you use a 28 oz can hold back on adding the juice until you see what the final texture of your ratatouille will be. You don’t want it to be soupy, you should be able to eat it with a fork.
A final note: When you sauté the vegetables make sure the eggplant is cooked until it becomes translucent. If there are still white chunks it won’t be as tasty and toothsome as it is when it is fully cooked! Ratatouille freezes well, too.
Ratatouille
- 1 1/2 pounds eggplant (if possible, use 2 small eggplants),peeled or unpeeled as you like
- Salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 large onions, thickly sliced
- 1 large green pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch strips 1/4 inch thick
- 1 large sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch strips 1/4 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (3 large cloves)
- 2 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped or use canned
- 1 1/2 pounds zucchini (small or seeded, if large), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Cut the eggplant into 3/4-inch cubes. Place the diced eggplant in a colander, sprinkle the eggplant well with salt, weight the pieces down with a plate or bowl, and let the eggplant drain for 30 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onions and green and red peppers, and sauté them until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Cook the vegetables, stirring them, for about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and wipe out the pan.
- Heat another tablespoon of oil in the pan, and sauté the zucchini for about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini to the other vegetables in the bowl, leaving behind as much oil as possible.
- Rinse, drain, and dry the diced eggplant with paper towels. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, and sauté the eggplant for about 10 minutes.
Return the reserved vegetables to the pan, and mix them well with the eggplant. Heat the ratatouille, and cook it for about 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, cayenne and parsley.
Bon Appetit!
Stephanie Kelley
