How to Make Ratatouille

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By JasneJ
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Make Ratatouille

My French grandmother,Madeleine, was a cook during the Great Depression and made this french meal for my parents. It is a hearty vegetarian dinner or lunch most folks find comforting to eat.We enjoy eating it today and wanted to share our recipe with you.Buon Apetite!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Stock Pot
Eggplant
Zucchini
Garlic
Peppers
Olive Oil
Tomatoes
California Cabernet or
French Red Wine
Whole Grain Bread

Step 1

8 Quart Stockpot

We start by covering the bottom of our stockpot with olive oil, the basis for all French and Italian cooking. Dice three cloves of garlic and brown them in the olive oil. We buy bulk olive oil. Check with a store like Natural Grocer for a good deal. Meanwhile, peel your eggplant and cut into one inch slices. Place the eggplant in another pot with water and a generous 2-3 Tablespoons of salt. Cover & leave in the refrigerator for an hour. The salt removes bitterness from the eggplant.
Step 2

Baby Zuke and Garlic

Next, dice half an onion coarsely and put in the olive oil to cook until transparent. Slice one or two green bell pepper or yellow pepper ( our favorite) into strips and saute in the stockpot. Add one inch slices of zucchini or baby yellow squash. That pot is getting crowded, oui? We are just beginning!
Step 3

California Cabernet

The backbone of our stew is organic tomatoes. We use plum tomatoes canned for richer flavor. Throw the 16 ounces of organic tomatoes into the pot. Now, ratatouille would not be a good french recipe without a french red wine. We use a California cabernet generously poured into the stew. There are plenty of affordable California cabernet and french red wines available. Consider joining a wine club for more information and fun. The alcohol cooks off the wine leaving you with incredible flavor.
Step 4

Eggplant for Ratatouille

Remember the eggplant? Drain the eggplant. Using a clean towel, press some of the moisture out of the eggplant. Slice the eggplant into 1 x 2 inch cubes and toss into the ratatouille.If you prefer, you can brown the eggplant first in olive oil, then throw it into the stockpot. We use an 8 quart stockpot, good for soup and stew cooking.Now,add some herbs: basil,thyme,and oregano.
Step 5

Yes, It's Chef Ratatuoille

Cover the ratatouille, pour yourself a glass of red wine and let the stew cook for at least an hour or more. We sometimes sauté mushrooms and add at the end. Traditional French ratatouille adds black olives. This hearty stew tastes much better the second day, once the flavors have a chance to mingle. Serve ratatouille with a whole grain bread or crusty loaf of bread to sop up the flavors.