In real life, (not "reel" life😆), I enjoyed a surprise ending to a long-awaited, socially distant, outdoor meeting with a small group of best friends. Kathy S. offered us some vegetables, freshly picked from her garden! Eggplants, tomatoes, red, green, and sweet banana peppers!
Looks like Ratatouille for dinner tonight. But, what is it, exactly?
Ratatouille is a French Provençal stewed vegetable dish which has its origins in Nice, so it is sometimes called “ratatouille niçoise”. During the time of my studies in the neighboring city of Aix-en-Provence many years ago, I enjoyed my share of ratatouille prepared in a number of ways, always guided by the local bounty. Très délicieuse!
The cuisine of southern Mediterranean France is quite similar to Italian cuisine, so this stew always reminds me of the Caponatina my mom used to make, also called Caponata. The only difference is that the Italian version usually contains green and black olives and a dash of capers. If you have those on hand, my guess is that no one will complain, especially me!
Ratatouille
- 2 eggplants, cubed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sweet banana pepper, coarsely chopped
- 3 large tomatoes, cubed
- Olive oil
- Herbes de Provence
- Dried Thyme
- Salt and Pepper
- Red wine - a splash or two
Sauté the onions, pepper, and garlic in some olive oil until the onion is translucent. Add the other ingredients, stir to blend the seasonings -all to taste- cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring from time to time to avoid sticking. It's done when the eggplant is tender the the sauce has thickened slightly.
Serve hot or cold, as a side dish with fish or a simply prepared meat, chicken or pork dish. I like it as a main dish with couscous or rice or atop a veggie burger.