It’s the season when all the veggies we love are available in local abundance, here in southern Canada. That means it’s time to celebrate the harvest with a classic dish that showcases the season like no other can. And makes us look like culinary geniuses!
I refer to none other than the French creation that took the world – particularly, the vegetarian realm – by storm: Ratatouille. It presents with a fantastic array of summery colours, a sumptuous aroma that will knock you over (in a nice way, I mean), and nutritional value you’d be hard-pressed to dup-licate.
A little history…
‘Ratatouille’ may be most familiar to you as the title of an animated Disney movie about a rat at a Paris restaurant (see photo, top of page) who aspires to become a celebrity chef. The play on words has at least a peripheral connection to the theme of our post today…
The dish, ratatouille, is native to the Provençe region of southern France. The district is known for it’s agricultural produce, including herbs. The latter include the area’s famous lavender, which has be-come one of its hallmarks…
“By the 18th Century, the area around the town of Sault, Provence already had beautiful natural la-vender fields but it wasn’t until the early 20th Century that lavender really took off as an ingredient in perfume, much loved by the famous perfume makers of Grasse,” TheGoodLifeFrance recounts. “From the 1920s, the colour of the landscape [literally] changed as more lavender was planted.”
But its Herbes de Provençe aromatic flavouring blend has taken a leading role in classic French cookery. And it should come as no surprise that Herbes de Provençe plays a central role in the cre-ation of ratatouille…
The recipe
Writing for The Daily Wrap, chef Dorita Gepert stresses that the right selection of veggies is crucial to production of a paramount classic ratatouille:
- Eggplant – Adds a characteristic softness and deep flavour to the dish.
- Zucchini – It’s juicy and pairs perfectly with other vegetables.
- Bell Pepper – It is best to use red and green, which add sweetness to the dish.
- Tomato – Provides acidity and juiciness to the dish and binds all the flavours together.
- Onion – Adds sweetness and a bit of spiciness, enhancing the dish’s overall flavour.
“All of them are equally important; none can be missing, but none can dominate. This balance ensures the dish’s flavour is well-rounded.”
Other essential ingredients include: garlic and olive oil (of course), fresh thyme and rosemary, and dried Herbes de Provençe.
All you do is simmer…
All you really have to do is sauté the veggies together for a couple of minutes, add some red wine vinegar and a dash of sugar, toss in the herbs, and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes.
My take
Minimum effort and time for maximum flavour and overall enjoyment! Just do it. And relish the opportunity to tune up your knife skills.
I can’t think of any better way to celebrate our summer veggies. And use up some of those surplus zucchinis and eggplants…
~ Maggie J.