Ratatouille: A promise has been delivered!

Every time we watch the movie Ratatouille (from Pixar) my 4-year old daughter asks me to prepare this dish for her. After putting it off for awhile, I did some research on the topic. I found out that Ratatouille is a vegetarian dish original from the regions of Provence and Nice in France. It is usually served as a side dish, but it may also be served as an entrée accompanied by rice or bread. There is much debate on how to make a traditional Ratatouille. I chose to simply sauté all of the ingredients together but some recipes call for the layering approach.  Basically, Ratatouille can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be. Here is my version of this traditional French dish:

Ratatouille

Ingredients:

½ eggplant

1 zucchini, chopped

2 ½ tablespoons of olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 ½ cup of sweet roasted bell pepper

8oz of pure tomato sauce

½ cup of chicken stock or water

8oz of crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon of butter

_2/3 cup of onion, chopped

¼ teaspoon of dried rosemary

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

¼ teaspoon of dried marjoram

2 teaspoons of paprika

3 large leaves of fresh basil, chopped

1 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

1 dried bay leave

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Meanwhile, cut eggplant into 2-inch cubes. Cook eggplant for about 5 minutes over medium heat.

Heat olive in a large sauce pan over medium heat, add garlic and onions. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in eggplant and zucchini. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.  Meanwhile, in the skillet where you cooked the eggplant, melt butter and add mushrooms. Cook in medium heat for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms are golden brown.

Stir in the roasted bell pepper and mushrooms to the sauce pan. Add tomato sauce, chicken stock, rosemary, paprika, oregano, marjoram, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add bay leave and simmer over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir gently from time to time (be careful not to break the bay leave). Remove the bay leave and check the seasoning. If necessary, add more salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and basil. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Tip: Mushrooms shouldn’t be cleaned under running water because they became rubbery and more difficult to cook.

Delectable Mushrooms!

Mushrooms can be part of a healthy diet. Some types of mushrooms are claimed to be cancer-fighters and they contain no fat or cholesterol. In my opinion, the qualities of mushrooms go way beyond its healthy benefits. They are also flavorful, easy to prepare and very versatile! I would like to share with you one of my very favorite recipes. It can definitely be the star of your next dinner party:


Provence Baked Mushrooms

Ingredients:
2 large Portabella mushroom caps
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup of fresh parsley, chopped
¾ cup of red wine
¼ teaspoon of paprika
¼ teaspoon of dried thyme (optional)
½ teaspoon of dried oregano
1/8 cup of cognac
Sea salt, to taste
1/3 cup of olive oil

Place mushroom caps in a baking sheet. Place all other ingredients but parsley in a small bowl and stir to combine. Pour it over mushroom caps and let marinate at room temperature for one hour. Heat the oven to 3550F. Bake mushrooms uncovered for 15 minutes, sprinkle parsley and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately with remaining cooking juices. It is a flavorsome complement to roasted or grilled meat.

If you need a mouth-watering appetizer for a bridal or cocktail party, replace the large mushroom for 8oz of baby Portabella mushroom caps. Bake it for 5 minutes and then add the parsley. Bake for another 4 to 5 minutes. Serve it with thin sliced toast. I recommend sea salt bagel crisps or lightly toasted French baguette. It is to die for!!!


“We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are”. Adelle Davis