RATATOUILLE
Beautifully simple. Fresh produce, heat and time make this classic Provençal dish a healthy and satisfying choice for any meal. Don't forget some good bread to mop up the sauce!
Ingredients + Preparation
- Garlic (Three cloves, cleaned and minced)
- Carrot (Three, cut in 1 cm / 1/2 in rounds)
- Onion (One, diced)
- Bell pepper: Red or orange (Two, seeds cleaned and cut into finger nail sized pieces)
- Zucchini (Two, quartered lengthwise and then sliced into pieces)
- Eggplant (One, quartered lengthwise and then sliced into pieces)
- Large tomatoes: Ideally fresh, but canned will work ok too (Four, diced)
- Olive oil (1 tbsp)
- Wine: Either red or dry white (1/4 cup)
- Dried orgegano (1 1/2 tbsp)
- Bay leaves (Two)
- Fresh herb: Basil or parlsey (1/4 cup, finely chopped)
- Butter (1 tbsp)
- Salt & pepper (To taste)
Instructions
1. On medium heat, saute garlic and onion in olive oil until the onion is slightly golden, about 3 minutes.
2. Add carrots and bell pepper and cook for a further 3 minutes.
3. Add zucchini and eggplant and cook for a final 3 minutes.
4. Add tomato, wine, oregano and bay leaves, then mix through all the ingredients. Chuck a lid on the pot and let it do its thing for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Mix through fresh herb and butter, and salt & pepper to taste. Cook for another 15 minutes with the lid off.
6. Taste to adjust seasonings as needed, then serve immediately with some freshly toasted bread.
Sens Sips
Syrah/Shiraz
Côtes du Rhône, France
Barossa Valley, South Australia
Washington, USA
Look around for a full bodied red, but also keep in mind what you like to drink. This dish has fantastic umami saltiness, herbs and richness, so your wine needs some oomph. Any Italian red would be fine, but this dish really can't go wrong with a full bodied Syrah. While originating from France, keep an eye out for bottles from the Barossa (Australia) & Columbia (USA) Valleys.
Sens Toolkit
Tips + Tricks
- Time is your friend when cooking this dish - the longer you leave it to simmer away the more the flavors will blend and evolve. It tastes even better the next day.
- The veggies used are faily traditional, but feel free to play around by adding mushrooms or different varieties of zucchini.
- Ratatouille is fantastic for breakfast with eggs. Just heat some up in a small pan, then crack the eggs into the mix. Let cook until the egg sets!
Mama's Wisdom
Brimming with fresh vegetables, this classic Provençal ‘stew’ is a healthy side dish (or light main). Add more vegetables to make it healthier. Consider topping with finely chopped Swiss chard (or similar dark green leafy) for a calcium boost. Keeping a lid on while cooking helps keep water soluble vitamins from escaping in the steam.
Mama Wulf
Marta De Wulf is a dietitian with over 25 years experience helping people explore and appreciate the link between food and personal wellbeing.
