Ratatouille

Traditional ratatouille is nothing more than roasted vegetables tossed with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. It's a simple way to prepare and serve a side of vegetables. 

But then Pixar released a movie where a Paris rat cooks better than most humans and for his best dish, he serves a gourmet version of Ratatouille. When this movie cam out, recipes circulated around the web trying to mimic the movie version. Thomas Keller, famed chef of The French Laundry and other incredible restaurants, was the man behind the curtain, so-to-speak. He's the one who made the food that the cartoonists drew for the film. Thomas Keller, I am not (no where near his genius). However, it didn't stop me from trying my hand at this dish. His recipe is a bit more involved than mine, but that's ok. He's a world-class chef and I cook for a family of four.

Ratatouille

Sauce:
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small jar roasted red peppers, drained
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

Vegetables:
1 zucchini, sliced thin
1 yellow squash, sliced thin
1 eggplant, sliced thin (Japanese eggplant is the best choice but it's rather hard to find)
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, sliced into rings

Topping:
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375ºF (191ºC).

In a sauce pan, combine the diced tomatoes, roasted bell pepper, garlic, and shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree. Add lemon juice and oregano. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. I added a touch of sugar to mine because it was a little too acidic. Pour into the bottom of a casserole dish.

Now, layer your vegetables on the sauce. I chose to put a layer of eggplant, then a layer of orange bell pepper. Then I ended with a layer of zucchini and yellow squash. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients: garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Drizzle this on top of the vegetables. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Served with a simple roast chicken and bread and you will have a nice family meal. 

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