Ratatouille

Dinner and a movie?  Why not Ratatouille for both?  I have to admit, I had four helpings of this the day I made it, and my four year old wanted more just because we were watching Remy make this dish on TV.  That's right, your kids will eat it!  And everything but the olive oil, cheese, salt and pepper, and tomato paste came from the Farmer's Market or my own yard.  

Here's my last trip to a Farmer's Market in a park on Smith Street in Providence.  They are open Sundays.    Total cost: $10.  The zucchini, onions, and eggplant went into the ratatouille along with Roma tomatoes from my garden and squash and garlic from my CSA.  The Swiss Chard set me back $3.  Cooking that later.  The pound of green beans became 4 half-pints pickled in garlic, red pepper flakes, and dill and coriander seed from my garden.  Including the canning jars, the green beans cost $1.23 a jar.  (My father said they were $6 in the supermarket.)  I used the peppers with my own garden's tomatoes to make salsa for canning.  (Use a tested recipe for food safety.  I used one from Ball's Complete Book of Home Preserving.)  If I don't count the 58¢ reusable canning jar, which of course I'm going to reuse aside from the lid, my 10 jars of tomato salsa cost 60¢ each.    Next, we are canning peach salsa and apple sauce.

This is not a great picture.

Gluten-Free/Vegan Option

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Ratatouille

Taste of Mediterranean France

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Prep: 10 minutes  Cook: 30 minutes  Makes 8 servings

4 cups mixed summer squash (crook- and straight-neck, 

     patty pan or scalloped, zucchini, etc.)*

1 medium Italian eggplant (I used Rotonda Bianca Sfumata 

     di Rosa, an heirloom variety with few seeds)*

1/2 yellow onion*

5 Roma tomatoes*

4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced width-wise

1 tbs. double-concentrated tomato paste

2 tbs. olive oil, divided

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1 tbs. fresh stemmed and finely chopped lemon thyme

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

This dish cooks up fast with the aid of a mandoline.  Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Slice squash, eggplant, onion, and tomatoes 1/4” thin, keeping each vegetable separate.  There is no need to salt the eggplant first or even peel it.  Cutting the vegetables this way is fast, attractive, and saves on cooking time.  In a covered skillet or Dutch oven, heat one tbs. olive oil.  Sauté garlic one minute, stirring frequently.  Add onions and tomato paste, stirring well.  Cook until onions wilt, about five minutes.  Add eggplant and tomatoes, cover, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary to prevent sticking.  Stir in herbs, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Layer with squash and drizzle with another tablespoon of olive oil.  Cover and cook at 375ºF 10-15 minutes, until squash are soft.  Serve by carefully spooning onto plates to retain layers.  Great with pasta or warm crusty bread.  Use leftovers in a frittata or on a pizza.  Tastes even better reheated.

* Cut flower end from vegetables and hold stem while slicing on mandoline.  Mandoline blades are very sharp, so take care to keep fingers clear.  Although many models are pricey, a 4-piece set can be found for less than $20. Use safety guard to slice onion on mandoline, or slice by hand.  

Don't have a Dutch oven?  Here's a coupon for one at Ocean State Job Lot this week: