Ratatouille used to be such a fashionable dish, but somehow I had memories of a mushy mix of overcooked vegetables that just wasn’t inspiring. This time I tried the real French method – what a difference!
Heat some olive oil in a large wide frypan and add 2 onions sliced into 1cm (½ inch) rings. Cook them slowly until just starting to wilt before adding 2 red peppers and a green one, also sliced to a similar size, and continue to cook until quite soft. Remove from the pan into a bowl. Add a little more oil to the pan and cook one large eggplant, sliced into thin wedges, until soft. Remove from the pan into the same bowl as the onions and peppers. Once again add a little olive oil to the pan, this time for 3 halved and sliced zucchinis. Partially cook these before removing them from the pan into the bowl with the other vegetables. If this mixture has become too oily you can pour some oil off at this stage. Take 3 large tomatoes, blanched and peeled if possible, and cut them horizontally in half, removing the seeds with a spoon before chopping them roughly. Pour the vegetables back into the pan adding the tomatoes, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper. Allow this mixture to simmer gently for 10 – 20 minutes before serving.
michelle picker cooks 