Late Summer Ratatouille
Ratatouille, the king of late summer stews. I absolutely love it and find it endlessly versatile. It’s literally all the summer vegetables, in one flavor-packed bowl. It’s super healthy, my version is spicy, and I think of many ways to serve it… and always with a glass of chilled rose, of course!
Some of my favorite serving suggestions:
Paired with Socca, a Mediterranean chickpea pancake fried in olive oil. Recipe here.
Served with eggs baked right into the ratatouille.
Served with cornbread, like chili.
Stuffed inside an omelette.
As a side for grilled chicken.
LATE SUMMER RATATOUILLE
Yields 8 servings
Ingredients
1 medium yellow onion, diced 1/2”
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 medium eggplant, diced 1”
4 medium zucchini or summer squash, diced 1”
2, 15 oz cans diced tomatoes (I liked San Marzanno Brand, ‘cubetti’)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp red chili flakes (or 1 red Thai Bird Chili, finely minced)
2 TB Sherry Vinegar
1 TB kosher salt
2 tsp finely ground black pepper
2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Method
In a large 5-quart Dutch Oven, heat 1 TB olive oil. Add the chopped onion with a sprinkling of salt & pepper and cook until translucent.
Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add eggplant & zucchini with remaining 1 TB olive oil and another sprinkling of salt & pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, water, chili flakes, sherry vinegar, and remaining salt & pepper and stir to combine.
Put the lid on, cracked just a bit, and continue cooking over medium heat about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until vegetables are soft and liquid reduces by about 1/2. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pan. Cook until stew is thick and vegetables are soft but not mushy. Taste for salt, pepper, chili, and vinegar and adjust to suit your taste. Serve hot.
