Ratatouille!

I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day last week.  I haven't posted since then because, well...I keep making the same yummy dishes that I have already posted: stir fry, granola, a huge pot of chili.  This week has been less creative, and more comforting as far as food goes.  And it continues with a very simple recipe: ratatouille.
Actually, I always wanted to bring up ratatouille because of Pixar's movie.  Ratatouille (the movie) embraces the best possible thesis about cooking: that ANYONE can cook!  The only real ingredient that you need (as cheesy as it is) is love.  Love for your ingredients, love for the process and techniques of creating great meals, and the love of serving and nourishing others.  I was blessed with the opportunity to have people teach me in a controlled setting how to manipulate food, but I strongly follow the belief espoused from Ratatouille.  It just takes a little bit of curiosity, patience, and willingness to slow down and feel, look, smell, and most importantly taste every ingredient.  This kind of inquiry and investigation of food will help you observe how tastes, smells, and textures begin to fit together.  Through my own exploration, I have learned that simple foods are usually the most delicious.  And that is where ratatouille (the dish) comes in.
Ratatouille is peasant food:  it is simple and easy to make, and should be made with the freshest ingredients. This dish would be best at the height of summer, when eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini are ripe.  However, it is still February and I have to do the best I can.  Plus, roasted veggies are good at anytime of year.  This dish is a perfect compliment to many other dishes.  You can serve it on rice, or make it into a warm salad by topping it with arugula.  If you've never had a roasted veggie salad, now would be the time to try.  The combination of warm, soft vegetables with the crisp crunch of lettuce is one of my favorites!  Or, ratatouille would be delicious on steak or firm, white fish like halibut (if you want to go the expensive route!).  Or, you could make this into a really delicious lasagna filling.  Or, instead of mashed potatoes, try ratatouille instead!  That way, you get more flavor, more nutrients, and more beautiful colors.  It can also be served warm or cold...perfect for lunch or dinner!

Basil

Italian Parsley...better than curly parsley for cooking!

Asian Eggplant.  Look around your grocery...there might be some fun eggplant varieties!

T.E.A's Ratatouille

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil (or more as needed)
2 medium Asian eggplants, sliced thin or medium dice (or 1 large eggplant of your choosing)
2 medium zucchinis, sliced thin or med. dice
1 orange bell pepper, med. dice
1 cup onion, med dice
2-3 cups canned tomatoes, crushed or diced (or fresh if you can find good ones...though that will probably have to wait for summer!)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions for oven cooking: This is how I made my ratatouille, but you can make it on the stove as well.  Alternate instructions are below.

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  In a small bowl, combine parsley, basil, garlic, oil, and 2-3 tsp salt to make a marinade for the veggies.

2.  In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables.  Pour herb oil over them and mix thoroughly. Taste and add more salt if needed.  Eggplant tends to soak up a lot of oil/liquid and needs a good amount of salt.  Adjust seasonings as needed.

I used my mandolin to slice these, but dicing is just as good!

3.  Pour entire mixture into a large casserole dish.  Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for 45-60 minutes or until all veggies are soft.

Alternate Instructions for the stove top:

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet (or soup pot) on medium high heat.  Add in onion with a sprinkle of salt.  Cook until soft and slightly caramelized, about 8 minutes.
2.  Add in eggplant, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until softened, about 5-10 minutes.  Taste for salt content...eggplant will soak up a lot of oil and might need more salt.  You can add in a little water or chicken stock to prevent the eggplant from sticking.  This will also help it soften a bit more.
3.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and cook until soft and reduced, about 5-10 minutes. Taste and season as necessary.



I served my ratatouille on top of short grain brown rice and topped it with a big handful of arugula!

Short grain brown rice.  I found this type to be a little sweeter and more tender than long grain.

Don't forget a fried egg!  This makes a great breakfast!

Enjoy! :)