Wednesday market at Pike Place with wonderful selection from local farms made me realize I haven't made ratatouille this summer. Trick to keeping flavors and shapes distinct is to cook each vegetable separately.
Chop & saute a small eggplant in 1 or 2 TB olive oil, add a touch of sugar to caramelize. When done, remove from pan with slotted spoon, keeping oil in the pan.
Chop & sauté a green pepper until it wilts. (I added 1/4 tsp pepper flakes as well) Remove.
Chop & sauté 1 small onion & three or four cloves of garlic until caramelized. To the same pan, add 1 chopped yellow squash, cook (with the onion) until beginning to change color. Then add 1 chopped zucchini (chopped finer so it doesn't take as long to cook).
When onion-squash mix is ready, add back the eggplant & green peppers.
Fold in 1 coarsely chopped ripe tomato and 1/2 cup fresh (or 1 TB dried) herbs (oregano, thyme, tarragon, basil, etc).
Taste for seasoning. Add salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.
Cover, allow to "stew" for 5 minutes. Serve !
Or, in my case, make a quick omelet with 3 eggs in hot skillet, add a cup or more ratatouille, fold onto plate & serve. Voilà!
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