Ratatouille

Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
   There are as many recipes for Ratatouille as there are cooks who make it.  And as many methods.  Some call for cooking it all together in one pot for hours, some in separate pots for 30 minutes, some for sautéing first, others for roasting.  This is my way,  I think sautéing the vegetables first highlights their individual flavors.  The one universal is the list of vegetables (although not their ratio) and stirring in fresh basil at the end!

 Ingredients:

• 1 small - medium eggplant (aubergine), about 8oz, 240gr
• 2 small - medium zucchini (courgette), about 14oz, 420gr, total
• 1 1/2 large bell peppers, I used 1/2 green and 1 yellow
• 2 medium onions
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 5 medium tomatoes
• 5 laurel (bay) leaves
• 2 tbs chopped fresh thyme
• big handful of fresh basil leaves
• 4 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper  optional

 Instructions:

• Roughly chop the onions and peppers.
• Mince the garlic.
• Cube the eggplant. 
• Slice the zucchini in half the long way, then in 1/4" slices. 
• Peel and roughly chop the tomato.
• Heat 1 tbs oil in large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the onions and sauté until starting to brown. 
• Add garlic and sauté for a minute or two longer.
• Put onions and garlic (and cooking olive oil) into a large pot.
• Put the pot (with the onions) on low heat.
• Return the skillet to heat and add 1 tbs oil.  Add peppers and sauté until starting to brown and blister. 
• Put peppers and olive oil on top of onions.
• Return the skillet to heat and add 1 tbs oil.  Add zucchini and sauté until starting to brown and soften. 
• Put zucchini and olive oil on top of peppers.
• Return the skillet to heat and add 1 tbs oil.  Add eggplant and sauté until starting to brown on all sides. 
• Put eggplant and olive oil on top of zucchini.
• Put bay and thyme on top of eggplant. 
• Put tomatoes on top of herbs.
• At this point you can add a bit of salt and pepper if you like.
• Give it a gentle stir or two, cover and increase heat slightly until you hear it simmering. 
• Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.  Stir it every once in awhile.
• When ready to serve, remove from heat, tear the basil leaves, stir in and serve.

Note: It took me about 35 minutes to do the chopping and sauteing; everything was tender and well done in 30 minutes but I let it simmer for 45.

Note 2:  Peel tomatoes by blanching in boiling water for 30 seconds first.  The peels slip off easily.

The leftovers:

Ratatouille on Couscous 

Total time: 15 minutes
    There are almost as many ways to serve leftover ratatouille as there are to make it in the first place!

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 - 2 cups left over ratatouille
• 1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) couscous
• 3/4 cup (6oz, 180ml) chicken broth
• 2 tsp good olive oil

 Instructions:

• Heat chicken broth to a boil. 
• Put couscous in a medium bowl. 
• When broth is boiling pour over couscous, cover and let stand for 10 minutes... Do not stir it. 
• Gently heat ratatouille in a saucepan or microwave. 
• Add oil to couscous, fluff gently with a fork to combine and serve.
• To serve:  Spread the couscous on a platter, spoon the ratatouille on top and serve

Cold Ratatouille Salad  

Total time: 5 minutes
   Another simple dish using leftover ratatouille.

 Ingredients:

• leftover ratatouille
• 1 tbs salad olive oil
• 2 tbs Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs fresh snipped basil

 Instructions:

• In small bowl whisk together oil and vinegar. 
• Stir into ratatouille. 
• Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Note:  If you have some olives or feta lurking in the fridge, chop and add!