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Recipes - Ratatouille
The market is at its most glorious in August. Ripe vegetables spill out of every tent. So how do you choose? With the classic Provencal dish ratatouille, you don’t really have to. Go ahead, get that deep black eggplant (even doubters will like it in this recipe), those tiny zucchini, the gorgeous lipstick red peppers, that bunch of sweet onions. And top off your market basket with a rainbow selection of yellow, orange, and red tomatoes. Finally, scoop up a little fresh parsley, thyme, and basil if your own garden supply is low.
6 servings (Adapted from Leslie Forbes’ A Taste of Provence, copyright 1987, Little Brown)
(Ratatouille can be presented hot or at room temperature, as a side dish or cold, with pita or your favorite crackers for a snack. See #8 below before you begin.)
1 medium-sized (about 1 lb.) eggplant (look for taut, glossy skin)
3 small to medium-sized zucchini (again, about 1 lb.)
2 red peppers (choose a bell or bell-like variety for sweetness, not heat)
2 medium-sized onions (choose a sweet variety, if you can)
3 medium-sized tomatoes (heirloom varieties are perfect for this dish because they tend to be low in acid—sweet—and colorful)
Freshly ground sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (extra virgin for its fresh, green flavor)
Sugar
Fresh parsley, thyme, and basil
1. Slice the eggplant into ½ inch pieces, then lightly salt the pieces and leave them to drain in a colander in the sink for 30 mins.
2. Cut the zucchini into small chunks and set aside.
3. Core and thinly slice the peppers and set aside.
4. Peel and finely chop the onions and set aside, along with three peeled and minced cloves of garlic. Roughly chop the tomatoes.
5. Pat the eggplant dry and cut it into small chunks. Heat about 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan with a heavy base. Brown the eggplant on all sides then drain on paper towels. Add a little more oil and cook the zucchinis the same way.
6. Continue with the peppers, but do not let them brown, then add the onions, the tomatoes, garlic, about ½ teaspoon of sugar (if the tomatoes are not as sweet as you like them), a handful of finely chopped parsley, and leaves from several sprigs of thyme. Simmer this mixture for about 30 mins.
7. Add the vegetables that you had set aside, and after 5 mins., remove the dish from the heat, then add about 10 basil leaves, cut in strips. Salt and pepper to taste.
8. It is best if you plan to make this dish so that it can sit overnight in the refrigerator.
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