The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook - Kim O'Donnel [41]
Too often, the idea of ratatouille is better than it tastes, as many cooks often overcook this veg mélange into cafeteria mush. The secret to keeping it bright and fresh tasting is to cook and season the veg separately before they all come together in a stew pot. This dish is a wonderful way to celebrate the late summer harvest. Ratatouille pairs extremely well with either couscous (page 78) or quinoa salad (page 79).
INGREDIENTS
1 large globe eggplant
(about 1 pound), or 3 thinner
Asian eggplants
Salt for leaching eggplant
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium-size onions, halved
and sliced thinly (about
2 cups)
3 red or yellow bell peppers,
seeded and julienned
(about 2½ cups)
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow or green zucchini,
cut into half-moons
(about 2½ cups)
Ground black pepper
6 medium-size fresh vine-ripe
tomatoes (about 3 cups),
or 1 (28-ounce) can plum
tomatoes
1 to 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, or
1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Chopped fresh basil and/or
parsley, for garnish
To serve: couscous (page 78)
or gluten-free quinoa with
chickpeas and herbs (page 79)
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Cut the eggplant into ½-inch cubes (You’ll end up with 5 to 6 cups). Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain on a rack for about 30 minutes. (This step, called leaching, is not mandatory, but it does help to release water.)
Pat the eggplant dry with a towel. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil and place on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Roast for 15 minutes; the eggplant will brown a bit and get perfume-y. You’ll also notice that the eggplant will shrink substantially, resulting in about 2 cups.
Remove from the oven and set aside.
For the rest of this dish, you’ll need a large skillet as well as a deeper saucepan or pot with a lid, which we’ll refer to as the “casserole.”
In the large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peppers and a generous pinch of salt; cook until the peppers are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in half of the garlic and cook for another minute, then transfer to the casserole.
Heat the remaining the tablespoon of oil in the skillet and add the zucchini plus salt and pepper to taste and cook over medium-high heat, until the zucchini is tender but still bright, 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining garlic, then mix into the vegetables in the casserole.
Roughly chop or mash the tomatoes with a potato masher as you see fit (I like to give them a head start before cooking), then add to the casserole, along with the thyme and oregano. The mixture should be thick; the tomatoes will release their juices when heated. If the mixture seems too thick, however, add a few tablespoons of water. Stir everything well, cover, and cook over medium-low heat, 12 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the couscous or quinoa (see page 78 or 79).
The ratatouille should be fragrant, the veggies tender but still bright. Taste for salt and pepper, and season accordingly. Remove the herb sprigs, if using. Stir in the basil and parsley just before using.
Serve over ½ cup of couscous or quinoa. Will keep in the fridge for about 5 days.
Makes 6 servings
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes ★ Pear-Arugula Salad
TWICE-BAKED SWEET POTATOES
This is the kind of meal I yearn for as summer makes room for fall, when the days are still warm, but as soon as the sun sets, the air has a distinct crispness that wasn’t there just a few weeks ago.
For me, the seasonal transition is always bittersweet, as I mourn the loss of bright sun yet revel the arrival of autumn produce, which is altogether varied, versatile, and downright stunning.
Two of my favorite fall ingredients are sweet potatoes and pears, so this two-dish combo is my way of embracing the season. At first glance, this menu may seem lean, but you gotta trust me on this one. With the addition of tahini, the roasted sweet potato flesh, which gets pureed with charred onions, is a real mouthful, both creamy and rich.
INGREDIENTS