Julia Child’s Ratatouille

 Julia Child isn’t always all about butter and cream and this aromatic dish will prove it. She refers to it as an eggplant casserole, built upon Medditerranean flavors. I made this vegetable dish last week on Earth Day and just as Julia states, a good ratatouille should not be rushed.

And this certainly took longer than expected. The secret is to cook each vegetable seperately so it is able to hold it’s shape. Each vegetable layer that is cooked in the same pan creates layers of flavor for the upcoming vegetables. I followed her directions exactly, however subsistituted red bell pepper for the green (which I find more flavorful). The end result was a brilliant and robust vegan casserole. I saved it for the next day and it was even better. The tomatoes and fresh herbes deepened its flavor profile and the vegetables still intact. Serve with some good crusty bread and your favorite protein. Enjoy the flavors of the Mediterranean.

Method:

1) Begin by peeling the eggplant and slicing it in about 1/2in thick pieces and 3 in long.

2) Slice  zucchini about the same size as eggplant.

3) Place vegetables in a bowl and add 1tsp salt. Toss to coat and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Then drain and dry very well with a paper towel.Seperate the vegetables since they will be cooked seperately.

4) While the vegetables are sitting, prepare the tomatoes. Boil water in a medium sized pot and once it is at a boil, add your tomatoes. Allow to boil in the hot water for just about 10 seconds, this will allow the skin to come off easily.

5) When done, drop in a bowl fill with water and ice. This stops the cooking process.

6) Next, peel the tomato skin and discard. Cut the tomatoes in half and seed them. Then cut into strips. Reserve.

7) Heat a large skillet with olve oil and then sautee the eggplant first until lightly browned.

8) Remove the eggplant and sautee the zucchini until lightly browned and remove to a side dish.

9) In the same skillet, add the bell peppers and onions and cook slowly in the olive oil for about 10 minutes until tender but not browned. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper.

10) Add the sliced tomatoes on top of the peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to cook for about 10 minutes until the tomato juices have rendered.

11) After about 10 minutes, uncover and raise the heat to reduce the casseroles juices, almost entirely.

12) Place 1/3 of the tomato mixture at the bottom of a casserole dish and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Layer half eggplant mixture on top, then tomato mixture, eggplant mixture, and the rest of the tomato mixture with more fresh herbs.

13) Cover casserold and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes while basting it’s juices.  Taste for seasoning. Allow to simmer until juices have evaporated. 

Bon Appetit!

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Julia Child’s Ratatouille

Ingredients

• 1 lb eggplant
• 1 lb zucchini
• 1 lb roma tomatoes blanched, peeled and seeded
• 2-3 garlic cloves smashed
• 1/2 onion sliced
• 2 bell peppers seeded and sliced in 1/2 in thick slices
• Small bunch of fresh parsley and/or basil chopped
• Olive oil for drizzling
• Salt and peppe to taste + 1tsp salt

Instructions

1. Begin by peeling the eggplant and slicing it in about 1/2in thick pieces and 3 in long.
2. Slice zucchini about same size as eggplant.
3. Place vegetables in a bowl and add 1tsp salt. Toss to coat and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Then drain and dry very well with a paper towel.Seperate the vegetables since they will be cooked seperately.
4. While the vegetables are sitting, prepare the tomatoes. Boil wter in a medium sized pot and once it is at a boil, add your tomatoes.
5. Allow to boil in the hot water for just about 10 seconds, this will allow the skin to come off easily.
6. Drop in a bowl fill with water and ice. This stops the cooking process.
7. Next, peel the tomato skin and discard. Cut the tomatoes in half and seed them. Then cut into strips. Reserve.
8. Heat a large skillet with olve oil and then sautee the eggplant first until lightly browned.
9. Remove the eggplant and sautee the zucchini until lightly browned and remove to a side dish.
10. In the same skillet, add the bell peppers and onions and cook slowly in the olive oil for about 10 minutes until tender but not browned. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper.
11. Add the sliced tomatoes on top of the peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to cook for about 10 minutes until the tomato juices have rendered.
12. After about 10 minutes, uncover and raise the heat to reduce the casseroles juices, almost entirely.
13. Place 1/3 of the tomato mixture at the bottom of a casserole dish and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Layer half eggplant mixture on top, then tomato mixture, eggplant mixture, and the rest of the tomato mixture with more fresh herbs.
14. Cover casserold and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes while basting it's juices. Taste for seasoning. Allow to simmer until juices have evaporated.

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