Last week, my friend Jean bounded into a holiday party with some extra exuberance; she’d spent the afternoon experimenting with a ratatouille recipe, and all the ingredients she’d added had mixed into something that sounded absolutely perfect to come home and warm up to. From meaty tomatoes and eggplant to onions, peppers, olives, and cucumber–my mouth was watering just thinking about so many cold-weather foods, all soaking up spices and flavor together. When she sent me the recipe, I was even more sold: It’s easy, healthy, and even reads deliciously. Jean’s even come up with an impressive way to serve it all up, on a plate alongside warm bread, sauteed greens, and cooked egg.
Jean’s Oven Ratatouille (very liberally adapted from Moosewood’s Vegetables I Can’t Live Without cookbook)
Ingredients
–extra virgin olive oil
–globe eggplant, cut into 3/4″ cubes
–medium zucchini, 1″ cubes
–2 onions, roughly chopped
–6 cloves garlic in their skins (to roast)
–1-2 whole bell peppers
–2 lbs ripe plum tomatoes, cored. (since these aren’t in season, Jean suggested reducing to one beefsteak tomato and tossing in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes during the last roasting)
–dried herbs, such as oregano, marjoram, basil, thyme (pick however many you like and have on hand, and use a sprinkle of each. Jean stressed that this was really “to taste”)
–fresh herbs, such as rosemary, tarragon, thyme, parsley, and sage, chopped (also up to you how many you choose. Include about a sprig of each)
–salt and pepper to taste
–1/2 cup pitted black olives
–fresh grated parmesan cheese to taste (optional)
–handful of washed and dried kale, beet greens, spinach, or other greens
–farm-fresh eggs, one per serving (can also just use whites)
Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line large baking tray with foil, and sprinkle in oil (Jean used about 3 Tbsp, but you could probably halve that). Place cut zucchini, eggplant, onions and tomatoes in separate sections of the tray, and toss each in oil–evening out so cubes are in single layer.
2. Prepare small foil packet (about a 3″ square), and place garlic (with skins) inside. Drizzle with water, seal packet, and place in center of tray to roast.
3. Sprinkle bell pepper(s) with more olive oil, and place in small tray (also foil lined).
4. Place uncovered trays in oven. Roast for 10 minutes, then turn vegetables with tongs. Sprinkle all with dried herbs, but hold salt and pepper.
5. Roast another 10 minutes, then remove tray with pepper and allow to cool. Add sun-dried tomato (if using) to large tray, then roast a final 10 minutes and place on rack to cool.
6. Garlic should be soft by now (if not then continue to roast in 3-min increments). Remove and mash in large bowl.
7. Remove seeds and core from bell peppers and add to the peppers to the bowl.
8. Slice fresh roasted tomatoes and add.
9. Add zucchini, eggplant, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and fresh herbs. Mash all with back of spoon. Salt liberally and add fresh-cracked black pepper to taste.
10. Saute greens with trace oil in cast iron saute pan. Crack eggs–one for each serving. 3 minutes on one side, then 1 minute on other to set. Salt eggs lightly. (If you’re looking to cut cholesterol, you can serve just the whites. For extra flavor, cook with one of the spices from the recipe, or add a dash of tabasco.)
11. Apportion ratatouille, then divide greens and egg and add to top (or side). Add grated cheese, using microplane grater.
12. Serve warm with bruschetta toasts, or with heated country white bread.
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Camille
