Ratatouille
Provençal Stewed Aubergine, Courgette, Peppers and Tomato
The secret of ratatouille, if it has one, is to fry each vegetable on its own before bringing them together. Done in one pot from the start, they steam and collapse into a grey stew. Done separately, each keeps its colour and character and the whole thing tastes of summer.
The recipe read fries aubergine, courgette and peppers one after another in olive oil until soft or golden, cooks onion and garlic, adds peeled chopped tomatoes with a little vinegar, sugar and basil, and returns the vegetables to the pan for a final five minutes.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 large aubergines, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 4 small courgettes, cut into 2 cm slices
- 2 red or yellow peppers, deseeded and cut into strips
- 4 large ripe tomatoes
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- A small bunch of basil
- Fine sea salt and black pepper
Method
- Peel the tomatoes Score a cross in the base of each tomato, cover with boiling water for 20 seconds, then drain and peel. Quarter them, scrape out the seeds and chop the flesh.
- Fry the vegetables separately Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the aubergines for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and golden, then tip into a bowl. Fry the courgettes in 1 tbsp of oil for 5 minutes, then the peppers in another 1 tbsp for 5 minutes, adding each to the bowl.
- Make the base Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then the vinegar and sugar, then the tomatoes and half the basil. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Combine Return the fried vegetables to the pan, season and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes, until everything is tender but still holding its shape. Tear over the remaining basil. Serve hot, warm or cold.
It is better the next day, and good cold with bread.