Showing posts with label French Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French Food. Show all posts

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Ratatouille!

Ratatouille on top of Cauliflower Mash

Wikipedia describes this as "a traditional French Provencal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice... Ratatouille is usually served as a side dish, but also may be served as a meal on its own (accompanied by pasta, rice or bread).  Tomatoes are a key ingredient, with garlic, onions, courgette, aubergine, bell peppers, marjoram, and basil, or bay leaf and thyme, or a mix of green herbs like herbes de Provence."

I didn't have all the traditional ingredients, but I had enough, so I created my own version of ratatouille.

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 zucchini, cubed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large roma tomato, diced
olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

I cooked the onion and garlic together in about 2 tablespoons of olive olive in a large soup pot, while I sauteed the zucchini in a large pan.  Once the zucchini was lightly browned, I added it to the onion and garlic.

I then sauteed the red bell pepper with a little bit more olive oil, and once it was slightly softened, I added it to the rest of the vegetables. 

After stewing on medium low heat for about 15 minutes, I added the tomatoes and cooked for another 5-10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, I made cauliflower mash by steaming a whole head of cauliflower and blending it in a blender with a little bit of rice milk and earth balance "butter."  Also, I added one clove of garlic, but it was too much.  Next time, I probably wouldn't add that much garlic.