Summer Ratatouille Recipes

SUMMER BOUNTY RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander over a plate; toss with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Rinse and drain well., In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute peppers and onions until tender, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, herbs de Provence, pepper, remaining salt, tomatoes and water. Add zucchini and eggplant; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until flavors are blended, 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally., Stir in fresh herbs. Serve over baguette cubes.

SUMMER VEGETABLE RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the zucchini in batches until slightly browned on all sides. Remove the zucchini and place in the pot with the onions and garlic.
• Saute all the remaining vegetables one batch at a time, adding 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet each time you add a new set of vegetables. Once each batch has been sauteed add them to the large pot as was done in step 2.
• Season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and parsley to the large pot, cook another 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning.

THE BEST RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the bell peppers have softened slightly, about 10 minutes. Add the eggplant, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the zucchini and continue to cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini has softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the ratatouille has reached a thick stew-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with more fresh parsley and basil before serving.

HERB & GARLIC PORK WITH SUMMER RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and fry the onions for 5 mins or until softened. Stir in the peppers, aubergine, courgettes and garlic, and cook, stirring, for a few mins. Tip in the tomatoes and 1 can of water, then stir in the bouillon, thyme and basil stalks. Cover and simmer for 20 mins or until tender. Stir through the basil leaves.
• Meanwhile, rub the pork with the garlic, then scatter with the thyme and some black pepper, patting it so it sticks all over. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the pork for about 12 mins, turning frequently so it browns on all sides, until tender but still moist. Cover and rest for 5 mins.
• If you're making this as part of the Healthy Diet Plan, set aside half of the pork to use in the curried pork bulghar salad later in the week and store in the fridge once cooled. Chill the half of the ratatouille and use it to make the ratatouille pasta salad with rocket for another day. If you are serving four you can skip this step.
• To serve, slice the pork and serve with the ratatouille, some brown rice or new potatoes and some extra thyme.

SUMMER RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Peel eggplant and cut into circular slices 3/8-inch thick. Place eggplant in colander and toss with salt. Let stand 30-45 minutes. Drain. Dry each slice in a towel.
• Scrub zucchini & squash, slice off two ends, and cut into slices about same size as eggplant. Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and place on baking sheet. Roast zucchini & squash for 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, saute eggplant in olive oil for about 2 minutes on each side to brown lightly; do not overcrowd. Remove to a side dish with towel to drain excess oil.
• In same skillet, cook onions in olive oil for about 5-7 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Stir in garlic and continue to sauté careful not to brown. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, coriander and fennel seed. Add crushed tomatoes.
• Place 1/3 tomato sauce in bottom of covered casserole (min. 2 1/2 inches deep) and sprinkle ½ of the basil. Arrange in layers the eggplant, then zucchini & squash, then add another 1/3 tomato sauce. Layer remaining eggplant, zucchini & squash on top and finish with remaining tomato sauce and basil.
• Cover casserole and simmer on very low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip casserole and baste with accumulated juices. Correct seasoning, if necessary.
• Cook uncovered 15 minutes, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil.
• Set aside uncovered. Reheat slowly at serving time, or serve cold.

ROASTED SUMMER RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Put an oven rack at the top of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Toss the patty pan squash, eggplant, 4 sprigs of thyme, 3 sprigs of marjoram, the fennel, onion, haricot vert and crookneck squash with the olive oil until coated. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet and roast until tender and browned, about 15 minutes. Discard the sprigs of thyme and marjoram.
• Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add the thyme and marjoram leaves, the parsley and the Garlic-Chili-Tomato Butter and mix well. Taste, and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until it is crisp and the fat is rendered.
• Once the bacon has rendered all the fat, add the onion, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. (If the pan seems dry while you are cooking the onion, add some of the olive oil.) Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and the crushed red pepper flakes stir to toast for just 15 seconds. Stir in the diced tomatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the excess liquid has almost completely cooked away.
• Put the mixture in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Use a wooden spoon to work the butter into the tomato mixture until combined. If you are not using the butter right away, cover it and chill it until you do. Makes 3/4 cup.

SUMMER RATATOUILLE WITH FARRO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced eggplant in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt to taste. Place in hot oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until eggplant is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the casserole from the oven, cover tightly and allow eggplant to steam in the hot casserole while you pan-cook onions, peppers, and zucchini.
• Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until peppers have softened and smell fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper and transfer to casserole with eggplant. Heat remaining oil in the skillet and add zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still bright, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic for a minute, until fragrant, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to casserole.
• Add tomatoes to the casserole with bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and place over medium-low heat. When vegetables begin to sizzle, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mix is juicy and fragrant and the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold, preferably the next day.
• Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette.
• To assemble the big bowl, spoon warm or room temperature farro or spelt into each bowl (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, to taste). Top with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Spoon a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the ratatouille and garnish with some of the basil. Top with a poached egg if desired and sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. Garnish with more basil and serve.

END OF SUMMER RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Mix together in a small bowl: parsley, red onion, garlic, 1 Tbsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 Tbsp olive oil
• In Medium skillet, heat oil and saute eggplant and red onion until soft, stirring often.
• Transfer eggplant/onion and oil into decorative 9x13 or larger, baking dish.
• Toss remaining vegetables, except the tomatoes, with the parsley garlic mixture and fold into the eggplant mixture.
• Scatter tomatoes on top.
• Cover with foil.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, or until vegetables are bubbly.
• While baking, prepare topping: Combine 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves with your choice of cheese: 11 oz log montrachet or chevre cheese, crumbled or 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Remove foil and top with basil and cheese mixture, return to oven for a scant 5 minutes.
• Serve at once.