Ratatouille

I think everyone who makes ratatouille has their own "recipe," and most of us don't use one at all, but that's one of the great things about it.  It is unfussy food, filling and healthful and utterly delicious.  The really important thing here is to use the freshest, best ingredients - which means it's a dish of the late summer/early fall only, when the market (or your garden) is overflowing with tomatoes and zucchini.  

I do it the old-fashioned way, with relatively-evenly-sized chunks of the lovely veggies.  It makes a great side dish for chicken, but I usually serve it as a main, light dinner, with a poached egg and good crusty bread.  Even my toddler will eat (most of) it (we're still working on eggplant) as long as that egg is on top and there is bread to dip. 

Ratatouille

INGREDIENTS

• 4T Olive Oil

• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 eggplant (I like Italian, pictured here, or Chinese, but whatever you can find), but into 1/2 inch cubes (don't worry too much about making them square, or perfect - this is unfussy food!)

• 1 Red bell pepper, cut into chunks

• 1 Yellow onion, diced

• 2 medium zucchini, chopped into 1/2 in pieces

• 3 large tomatoes, chopped (seeded if you wish, I don't)

• Salt and Pepper

• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 large handfull fresh basil, roughly chopped

METHOD

1) Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat

2) Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.

3) Add eggplant, garlic, zucchini, and red pepper, and saute until starting to soften, about another 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

4) Add tomatoes and smash up a bit with the back of your spoon.  

5) Add thyme and bay leaf and season again with salt and pepper.

6) Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until everything is soft and the tomatoes have created a sauce, about 30 minutes.