Ratatouille

Ever since I saw the movie Ratatouille I wanted to cook one. You know how you sometimes say "I'd like to do this...I'll set some time for doing that" and you never do it? Well, cooking a ratatouille is one of those things you never set your mind to do even though it's really easy.

Really, Victor, what is a ratatouille? Good question. It could either be a bunch of overcooked vegetables thrown in together, or it could be a tasty medley of fresh veggies. One good thing about ratatouille, though, is that it's a very healthy and hearty dish. The meatiness of the eggplant, along with all the combined flavors, gives it a feeling that sets it apart from other vegetarian meals.

Well, the thing is this weekend I went to the Farmer's Market here in Ann Arbor and saw so many nice vegetables that I decided to buy them all. I also bought some fruit, but we won't worry about those for now. So, except for the spices and stuff like oil and wine, all the vegetables were fresh from local farms.

Let's cut to the chase. Here's the list of things you'll need. Ingredients, if you will:

• 1 eggplant, cut into cubes
• 1/2 zucchini, sliced
• 1/2 yellow squash, sliced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tomatoes, wedged
• 1/2 red bell pepper, in chunks
• 1/2 green bell pepper, in chunks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• a squirt of red wine
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• a pinch of sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• a pinch of dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste

First you need some preparations. Cut the eggplant into little cubes, add some salt and let sit on a paper towel for about a half hour. This takes the bitterness away from it. You might not need to do this if the eggplant is small, but as a rule, it's good to do it to avoid weird tasting food. After the time is up, rinse them a bit or shake loose the excess salt.

To start the actual cooking part, heat the oil in a pot, add the onions and garlic and cook until tender. Now add the eggplant and the chunks of green and red bell peppers and cook for a few minutes until they are soft. So far so good.

The good part starts now. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the vinegar, salt and pepper. Yup! That's it. Lower the heat and cook it for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes.

You're done.

When I said it was a bunch of overcooked vegetables thrown in together I wasn't lying. Yeah, yeah, it's seasoned with some spices, it has red wine and all that fancy stuff, but it's still mostly veggies. And it's really easy to cook.

This dish can easily be an entrée, a side dish, or a topping for something else, such as pasta. It holds well for a few days and can even be served at room temperature as a topping for bruschettas.

Victor recommends: 

Goya Tomato Paste, 6-Ounce Units (Pack of 48)

Manufacturer: Goya Foods Inc.

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