Ratatouille is the perfect way to use up some abundant local summer produce!
Ingredients
1-2 Globe eggplants, ½-1inch dice skin on
2 Zucchini, ½-1inch dice
2 yellow squash, ½-1inch dice
4 Red peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
2-3 sweet onion, ½-1inch dice
5 Roma tomatoes, ½ inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
8-10 sprigs of thyme
1 bunch Italian Flat leaf parsley
5 sprigs of oregano
1 can of Crushed tomatoes
4 Tb. Unsalted butter
2 Tb olive oil
Instructions:
- Place a sauté pan with high edges on medium high heat.
- Add 2 Tb butter and 2 Tb olive oil.
- Add onions and sauté approximately 5 minutes or until they start turning translucent.
- Next add the garlic, cook one minute.
- Add eggplant and stir to combine cooking 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, thyme sprigs, oregano sprigs, squash, zucchini and roasted peppers. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, turn to medium low heat and stew the vegetables together until they are nicely cooked and you have a thick vegetable stew.
- Finish with a few nubs of butter stirred in, season with salt pepper and add the chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Chef Tip: How to Roast peppers
Ideally you want to do this over an open flame
If you have a gas stove turn on high and place peppers directly into flame on burners.
Char the outside completely, almost totally black, turning periodically with tongs.
Once all peppers are nicely charred place in a mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Note: This allows the peppers to steam and make them easy to peel!
After about 15 minutes or so remove plastic wrap and rub the skin right off the peppers with your hands and a old dish towel if you prefer.
Rinse under cool water to remove any excess charred skin, remove seeds and dice.
Proceed with recipe!