Weekend Recipe - Home-Made Ratatouille!

Hey Everyone! Today EL the Cook, takes your taste buds on a culinary french journey to France, and shows you how to make the famed Ratatouille(from the movie) at home!

Ratatouille is a traditional peasant stew, originating from Nice, France. There is much heated debate on the method of preparation of Ratatouille, however in the MichelinStar Restaurants it is generally made in the style of a Confit Byaldi which uses the same ingredients as ratatouille but is plated up in slices and not in chunks. 

Ratatouille tastes best when prepared from fresh vegetables free from pesticides. This exceptional dish  can be stored in the fridge for upto 5 days

Heres what you'll need:

INGREDIENTS:(Serves 6)

A) Piperade Mixture:

• 1 Red Onion peeled and finely chopped
• 2 carrots, washed, unpeeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
• 1 yellow & 1 red bell pepper
• 2 chili peppers
• 850 g pureed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon herbes de provence (a mixture of dried savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and a hint of lavender)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 6 fresh basil leaves, minced 

B) Sliced Veggies

• 2 yellow squash sliced into 1/16 inch, circles
• 2 zucchinis sliced into 1/16 inch, circles
• 2 Japanese/Chinese eggplants sliced into 1/16 inch, circles
• 6 medium tomatoes, sliced into 1/16 inch, circles

C) Seasoning

• 30ml olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves chopped
• Salt & Pepper to taste

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT:

• A large casserole
• Parchment paper/foil
• Sharp kitchen knife
• A Pair of tongs
• Veggie slicer
• Cling film( Microwave proof)
• Large bowls
• Medium sized skillet
• Kitchen mixer

METHOD:

• Put your red & yellow bell peppers & chili pepper on the direct flame of your stove and char them till the outer side is completely charred as shown below

• After they are well charred, place them in a bowl, with cling film, to make sure none of the moisture escapes.
• Chop your carrots, basil and onion into cubes
• Mince the garlic with fresh thyme
• Using the slicer, finely slice into equal pieces, the zucchini, squash, tomatoes and eggplant.
• Remove your charred bell peppers and chili pepper from the bowl and scrape the charred potion off. Now slice them and de-seed into fine mushy cubes.
• Now, in a skillet, add butter and olive oil, with garlic. Add your chopped veggies & peppers with a little salt and pepper to taste. Saute` for 15 minutes.
• Add your pureed tomatoes and the herbes de provence. Simmer for 5 minutes.
•  Allow to cool.
• Now, using a kitchen mixer, add your sauteed veggies and crack in your fresh basil leaves. Puree` till the mixture is homogeneous. 

Assembly:

• Now the Fun part!
• Empty your pureed veggies in a large casserole.
• Arrange your finely sliced tomatoes, zucchini, squash & eggplant in a spiral as shown above.
• Add your seasoning of olive oil, thyme, garlic and basil on the top.
• Place a large piece of parchment paper/foil to cover the casserole.
• Place in your  oven for 3 hours at 280F.
• Now, remove the foil and bake for an additional 45 minutes at 350F. Thus acquiring additional flavor from caramelization.
• Top with finely chopped basil.
• To plate, put some Ratatouille in a plate and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and some balsamic vinegar for acidity.

Ratatouille, a dish with humble origins, but exceptional taste. Do try this at home and experience the wonder of fresh french cuisine which inspired Hollywood to make an entire movie from it!

Bon Apetit`