Ratatouille Niçoise

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Served both warm or cold, this heavenly Provençal vegetable stew is the perfect side dish for grilled or pan fried meat (Helena!), or even on its own (Caroline!) with some freshly baked crusty baguette!  Prepared using a variety of fresh summer vegetables (or technically - fruit - all vegetables containing seeds inside of them are actually fruits) and herbs picked from the arid hills of the arrière pays of southern France, Ratatouille brings me back to some of my fondest memories I have of the time I spent studying in Valbonne, about a 30-minute drive from Nice.


Spending most of my weekends in Nice allowed me to frequently visit the bustling farmers’ market in the Vieux Nice (Old Nice), where farmers’ stands would be set up amongst old terracotta-colored buildings.  I always took immense pleasure in ogling the array of beautiful regional cheeses, extensive selection of marinated olives, eating my favorite -Socca - (a huge flat pancake-like delicacy from Nice, made from chickpea flour - a dish I will post soon), devouring mouth-watering,  creamy gelatos, crunching on freshly made candied  peanuts,  as well as admiring the beautiful fresh vegetables the farmers painstakingly grew! They ranged from bright green courgettes to plump aubergines, to artichokes and courgette flowers (which are amazing when dipped in batter and deep fried! BLISS!). I would definitely choose shopping at a farmers’ market over clothes shopping any day!! 


Similar to the scene in the Pixar film - Ratatouille - when Anton Ego took his first bite of Remy’s ratatouille; each time I eat this stew, all the nostalgic memories I have of southern France come racing back to my mind... leaving me not only with a feeling of great comfort, but also a deep yearning to return. 


As you may have guessed by now, Ratatouille originated in Nice. It can be traced back to the late 18th century, but rather, was a term to describe stews in general. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that the “modern” recipe (utilizing summer vegetables) was more specifically recorded. 


It was originally a peasant’s stew, as poor farmers cooked remnants of their summer vegetable (fruit 😛) harvests that needed to be used up. Now Ratatouille is enjoyed worldwide as a low-carb vegetarian (not to mention filling) side dish that is popular amongst dieters. ⚖️👍 


It’s a quick and easy 1 pot dish that’s sure to please the entire family! BON APPÉTIT!

Serves: 6


INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 courgettes
  • 3 Japanese eggplants 
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow onion (chopped finely)
  • 5 cloves of garlic (peeled and chopped finely)
  • 250 g cherry tomatoes 
  • 1( 400 g) can of whole tomatoes 
  • 150 grams mushrooms (I used Paris and maitake)
  • 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp thyme 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 

METHOD:


  1. Prepare eggplants, courgettes and bell peppers and cut into 1.5 cm cubes.Remove any dirt on the mushrooms using a paper towel. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat and add onion, stirring until translucent in color. 
  3. Add garlic and sauté for a further 20-30 seconds until fragrant. 
  4. Toss in the courgettes, stirring until slightly translucent around the edges (around 1-2 minutes). Then add the cubed eggplant and cook until slightly softened (2-3 minutes). 
  5. ** A little tip to add a slight crunch and brighter color to the stew, is to remove a ladel-full of the sautéed courgettes and eggplants, and reserve to the side, adding them back to the stew only during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking. **
  6. Drop in the chopped bell pepper and continue to stir for around 2 minutes.
  7. Then add the mushrooms, fresh whole cherry tomatoes and canned tomato.
  8. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with the herbs and stir until well combined.
  9. Continue to simmer over low-medium heat, with a cover slightly ajar, and cook for around 30-35 minutes, allowing the liquid from the canned tomatoes to reduce significantly.
  10. Serve warm or cold with meat or simply with some crusty French baguette! Tastes even better the next day! 

Side note: As I had a bit left over (as I always make plenty), I reheated it the next day, and using an immersion blender, blended the stew until an almost smooth consistency. I boiled some pasta, mixed it into the ratatouille sauce, and topped with an additional dollop of sauce and freshly grated Pecorino cheese! The kids devoured it, perhaps more than when it was in its chunky form!  It’s always fun to reinvent dishes using leftovers! 😊 And mama is always happy when her kids eat plenty of veggies! 🤩


Bon Appétit! En Guete! Buon Appetito! Guten Appetit! Itadakimasu! 


Gastronomically Yours, 

Pia 💖

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