DISCOVER THE SUMMER JOYS OF RATATOUILLE.Byline: Cathy Thomas Orange County Register I almost dropped the phone. Alexis wanted a recipe for ratatouille ra·ta·tou·ille n. A vegetable stew, usually made with eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and onions, seasoned with herbs and garlic. [French, from alteration of toillier, touiller, . My daughter Alexis called every day while she was away at college, and often our conversations turned to cooking. That's not the point. It was the ratatouille part that puzzled me. Throughout her childhood, it was a conundrum. This child loved vegetables, but hated ratatouille (pronounced rat-tah-TOO-ee). The flavors in this traditional dish from Provence, a southern region in France, sing with the flavors of a summer garden - eggplant eggplant, name for Solanum melongena, a large-leaved woody perennial shrub (often grown as an annual herb) of the family Solanaceae (nightshade family), and also cultivated for its ovoid fruit. , summer squash, bell peppers and sun-ripened tomatoes. The flavors meld perfectly, accented with olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. , onions and fresh herbs. Delicious. But she said it was gross. She had lots of opportunities to try it. Every June, when early summer produce piles up in farmer's markets and supermarkets, I start the ratatouille dance in my kitchen. It's a celebration of the season. And throughout the summer, as my garden overflows, I make it again and again. Sometimes I serve it cold, spread on toasted French bread or crackers as an appetizer. Sometimes I serve it hot as a main dish or a side dish side dish n. A dish served as an accompaniment to the main course. Noun 1. side dish - a dish that is served with, but is subordinate to, a main course entremets, side order with grilled meat, chicken or fish. Leftover ratatouille is divine. I use it to fill crepes, omelets and pita bread. I toss it with pasta or rice. She hid it. Spit it out. Sulked. Now she wants the formula. So I asked her what changed her mind. ``When I was 3, Christy told me ratatouille was made with rats,'' she explained in a matter-of-fact tone. ``You know how I was always worried you'd slip something weird - maybe Bambi or Thumper - into the soup. Rodent ratatouille seemed plausible. Besides, you know how convincing Christy can be.'' So it had been her big sister, Christy, who had told the rat tale. How clever. Christy loves ratatouille. She ate her sister's portions. But food revenge is sweet. Today, final exams are over. And in a small college-apartment-size kitchen in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , Alexis is whipping up three versions of ratatouille. One will be a fast, skillet-style ratatouille accented with slices of Italian sausage  This article or section may deal primarily with the U.S. and may not present a worldwide view. . She'll serve it over rice. One will be layered with Swiss cheese, topped with bread crumbs and baked until golden brown. And one, made in a shallow gratin gra·tin n. A top crust consisting of browned crumbs and butter, often with grated cheese. [French, from obsolete grater, to scratch, scrape, from Old French; see grate1.] pan, will top the bell pepper-eggplant mixture with a layer of overlapping tomato and zucchini zucchini Subspecies of Cucurbita pepo, dark green elongate summer squash in the gourd family, of great abundance in U.S. home gardens and supermarkets. The creeping vine has five-lobed leaves, tendrils, and large yellow flowers. slices. When finished, she'll place a tortuous phone call to her sister. She'll describe every detail. The smell. The texture. The taste. Payback. Here are the three recipes. The ingredients are fairly consistent - eggplant, tomatoes, summer squash and bell peppers are the basics - but cooking techniques and ingredient proportions change from recipe to recipe. By the way, the name ratatouille is derived from the French word ``touiller,'' meaning to mix or stir together. No rats. SKILLET RATATOUILLE - WITH OR WITHOUT SAUSAGE 1 pound hot OR sweet Italian sausage About 2 tablespoons olive oil 5 Japanese eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch slices OR 1 large eggplant, cut into quarters lengthwise length·wise adv. & adj. Of, along, or in reference to the direction of the length; longitudinally. Adj. 1. lengthwise and then into 1/2-inch slices 2 large onions, cut in half and thinly sliced 2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into strips 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into strips 4 medium-large ripe tomatoes, about 1 pound, cut into 1-inch chunks Pinch ground fennel fennel, common name for several perennial herbs, genus Foeniculum vulgare of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), related to dill. The strawlike foliage and the seeds are licorice-scented and are used (especially in Italian cooking) for flavoring. 3 to 4 yellow zucchini OR yellow patty pan squash, sliced 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil Salt and pepper
Cooked rice OR pasta, for serving Grated Parmesan cheese a kind of cheese of a rich flavor, though from skimmed milk, made in Parma, Italy. See also: Parmesan , for garnish Line a microwave-safe plate with 3 layers of white paper towels. To reduce fat, poke holes in sausage on all sides with a fork. Place in a single layer on paper towels and cover with a paper towel. Microwave on high (100 percent) power 4 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove sausage and cut into 1 1/2-inch slices. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet. Add sausage and cook on medium-high heat, stirring or shaking pan frequently, to brown sausage on all sides. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon A slotted spoon is an implement used in food preparation. Most of its uses involve separating solid foods from liquids, such as taking vegetables from a pot of boiling water. A significant exception is the traditional absinthe ritual. . Add eggplant, onions and bell pepper. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, if pan looks dry. Cook on medium heat about 8 minutes, stirring or shaking pan frequently, until vegetables start to soften. Add sausage, tomatoes, fennel and zucchini. Cover and simmer on low, about 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. If there is a lot of juice, strain off solids either by using a slotted spoon or pouring mixture through a colander, reserving juices. Cook juices on high heat until reduced by 2/3. Return vegetables to reduced juices. Place rice in shallow bowls. Ladle ratatouille on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty, warm bread. Makes 4 to 6 servings. NOTE: If using ratatouille as a filling or topping, cut vegetables smaller and reduce cooking time. If using cold, omit sausage. If omitting sausage, place 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil in pan and add vegetables as directed. Ratatouille can be prepared a day in advance and reheated. LYDIE MARSHALL'S RATATOUILLE TERRINE ter·rine n. 1. An earthenware container for cooking and serving food. 2. Any of various dishes prepared or cooked in a terrine. [French; see tureen. About 1/2 cup olive oil 2 medium onions, cut in half and thinly sliced 1 cup shredded Gruyere OR Swiss cheese 1 pound zucchini, cut in 1/4-inch slices 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves About 2 teaspoons salt Large pinch cayenne pepper 2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch round slices, cored and seeded 1 pound eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 1 cup OR more coarse bread crumbs In a large nonstick non·stick adj. Permitting easy removal of adherent food particles: a frying pan with a nonstick surface. nonstick Adjective skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Cook onions 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer onions to an ovenproof ov·en·proof adj. Capable of resisting the heat produced in a kitchen oven: an ovenproof casserole dish. ovenproof adj → refractario, 6-quart Dutch oven. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on top. Place 2 more tablespoons olive oil in skillet. Add zucchini in batches, sauteing about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a little more oil, if needed. Place zucchini in Dutch oven. Top with several basil leaves. Sprinkle with scant 1/2 teaspoon salt and tiny pinch cayenne. Add 1 more tablespoon olive oil to skillet and saute sau·té tr.v. sau·téed, sau·té·ing, sau·tés To fry lightly in fat in a shallow open pan. n. A dish of food so prepared. peppers 5 minutes. Place on top of zucchini; season with scant 1/2 teaspoon salt and tiny pinch cayenne. Top with several basil leaves. Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil to skillet and saute as many eggplant slices as will fit in a single layer, about 5 minutes. Repeat, adding more oil if needed, making sure to heat oil before adding a new batch of eggplant. Layer eggplant on top of peppers. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and tiny pinch cayenne. Top with basil leaves. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil to skillet and saute tomatoes 2 minutes. Layer tomatoes and last basil leaves on top of eggplant. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and tiny pinch cayenne. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, thyme and enough bread crumbs to cover tomatoes. Cover with foil or lid. Bake in middle of preheated 350-degree oven 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake 30 more minutes. Serve hot, warm or cold. Makes 8 servings as first or vegetable course; 4 servings as main course. From ``Chez chez prep. At the home of; at or by. [French, from Old French, from Latin casa, cottage, hut.] chez prep at the home of [French] Nous'' by Lydie Marshall (HarperCollins). RATATOUILLE GRATIN - A LOOKER 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 yellow OR red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces 4 Japanese eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary 2 teaspoons minced basil 2 teaspoons minced thyme 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes In the simplest definition, diced tomatoes are just that, tomatoes that have been diced. In the United States retail environment, however, the term refers to a relatively recent arrival in the processed tomato market, generally consisting of canned chunks of plum tomatoes in tomato , drained 2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh basil 2 teaspoons capers CAPERS. Vessels of war owned by private persons, and different from ordinary privateers (q.v.) only in size, being smaller. Bea. Lex. Mer. 230. , drained 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 green and 1 yellow zucchini, trimmed and cut on diagonal 1/8-inch thick 1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and sliced 1/8-inch thick 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese Minced fresh basil, for garnish In a medium saucepan, heat 2 1/2 tablespoons oil and add onions. Cook onions on medium until transparent. Add garlic, bell pepper and eggplant; cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes, until pepper is softened. Add fresh herbs, tomatoes and simmer 8 minutes. Increase to high heat and boil until liquid evaporates. Add basil, capers and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Place mixture in a 9x13-inch gratin dish (oval baking dish). Arrange zucchini slices and tomato slices in alternating rows, overlapping slightly. Drizzle remaining olive oil over top. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven 30 minutes. If additional browning is desired, place on a rack about 6 to 8 inches below preheated broiler broiler a young (about 8 weeks old) male or female chicken weighing 3 to 3.5 lb. and broil until browned. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Sprinkle with minced basil and serve. Makes 6 servings. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (Color) Summer is the season for robust and flavorfu l ratatouille. Originally from the Provence region of southern France Southern France (or the South of France), colloquially known as Le Midi, is a loosely defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Gironde, Spain, the Mediterranean Sea, Italy, and Switzerland south of the , ratatouille is a mixture of fresh vegetables and herbs. Nick Koon/Orange County Register |
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