Enjoy a “ratatouille”, which is a recipe from the South of France that combines zucchinis, red and green peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, garlic to your taste and onions (including green ones). The herbs give it an unmistakable earthy fragrance. It will take 30-40mn to prepare. It can be enjoyed around the family table and also stretched over the following week (it can be frozen in single portions).
We prepare it often during the weekend so we have a great source of pre-cooked vegetables for the week. Ratatouille marries well with so may protein sources: fish, chicken, steak, soy or rice/quinoa for vegetarians.
For 10 to 12 servings/ingredients you need:
-3 green peppers
-3 red peppers – can also cook with yellow peppers
-4 medium zucchinis
-4 medium eggplants
-6 medium tomatoes
-4 medium onions
-Half a garlic bulb (just the cloves, peeled and pureed)
-Rosemary, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper. All spices are up to your taste. Some people add basil.
-Olive oil (5-6 tablespoons, to your taste, again)
-Salt and pepper to your taste
The preparation:
– Cut the eggplants in 1.5in square cubes
– Cut the peppers in 1.5in square cubes
– Slice zucchinis in 1/4in in slices
– Cut the tomatoes in quarters. Some people like to remove the skin
– Puree the garlic cloves
– Mince the onions
The cooking:
In a large “Le Creuset” or Dutch oven type casserole throw the onions with salt and pepper and olive oil and get them tender and transparent, not brown, on medium heat.
When done, add the cubed eggplants and the garlic, more salt and pepper and olive oil if necessary. Get the heat a little bit stronger so the eggplants caramelize a little bit. If you see it is too dry, add water.
Then get the heat back to medium. After 5-7min when they start to get tender add the red and green peppers, the herbs. After another 5-7min add the zucchinis. Then at the last minute add the tomatoes and cook for another 5min.
The longer all this simmers the more the veggies will get tender but they could get too cooked. Some people like them a little more “al dente”, depends on what your taste is.
If you are really in a hurry, you can cook all the veggies at the same time, just adding the tomatoes at the end.
Add water if necessary and toss frequently. It should not take more than 30-40 min total. Enjoy, Bon Appetit !