Archive for July 2nd, 2007

I recently saw the Pixar-Disney film, Ratatouille and was inspired to make the dish.

So I did.

Messy Chef Ratatouille

• Orange Pepper, chopped
• Green Pepper, chopped
• Eggplant, cubed
• Yellow Squash, sliced thin
• Zucchini, sliced thin
• 6-8 cloves garlic, smashed
• One sweet onion, large (halved; one half is for the sauce, one half is rough-chopped for the stew)
• One can plum tomatoes in sauce (San Marzano)
• Fresh parsley
• Italian Seasoning (dried)
• EVOO
• Salt, pepper

I served mine alongside couscous.

First, start the tomato sauce. Sauté onion and garlic with EVOO in a hot pan, and add cut tomatoes, with half the can of sauce. Discard seeds. Hate the seeds.

Cook down for 10-12 minutes, adding salt to help break-down the tomato. If you have extra eggplant, add a few pieces to thicken the sauce.

Pulse the sauce in a food processor, then add back the (now cold) pan. Thin-chop on a mandolin the green/yellow squash. Rough chop the other vegetables.

Layer the vegetables in a oven-proof dish, mixing in sauce, EVOO, and salt and pepper. Bake the casserole for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees.

Serve hot, over couscous. My recipe made too much for two people; I saved one portion with extra couscous for lunch, and reserved about 1/2 for a ratatouille soup later in the week. Many recipes say the flavor improves with a few days on the mixture.

As good as Remy’s served at Gustou’s?