et Voilà

If you enjoy cooking — as in the physical act of cleaning, sorting, and chopping vegetables, standing over a stove and stirring, seasoning, monitoring heat — then ratatouille is for you. It’s also for those who belong to a CSA in Michigan in late August. The eggplant has been bountiful this year!

Ratatouille is a French stew of the summer bounty that traditionally includes eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and tomato. Michigan, located on roughly the same latitudinal lines as France, yields the same produce each summer. I like to think I am in the French countryside when I serve myself a small bowl each afternoon, deskside.

There are a million versions of ratatouille, which makes sense given that it is a dish composed of availability. Do you think French grandmothers would worry about the size of the eggplant or the quantity of zucchini? I don’t, and so I don’t either. In years past I’ve tried versions that include grains such as quinoa, that call for roasting the vegetables before adding to the pot, though I never loved the outcome. This year I tried what I think is most traditional, and absolutely my favorite — cooking the vegetables in a Dutch oven on the stovetop, first in batches, then all together with herbs. I leave it to simmer for an hour-and-a-half, which is just enough time to Zoom yoga in the dining room, et Voilà!, dinner is done.

RATATOUILLE

Note: The quantities below are rough estimates. Use what you have, and it will simmer together beautifully.

You’ll need:
1-2 large eggplant
3-4 medium zucchini (or summer squash)
1 medium yellow onion
2 large bell peppers (any color)
3-4 medium tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
A few sprigs of thyme
1/4 cup fresh basil or another herb, chopped (optional)

Start by washing, chopping, and separating all of the vegetables. I like a medium chop for everything, but any size is fine. Peel and chop the eggplant and set aside in a bowl. Chop the zucchini and set aside in a separate bowl. Chop the onion and peppers and set aside together in a bowl. Chop the tomatoes and set aside in another bowl.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the eggplant and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown in spots, about 5-7 minutes. Eggplant is extremely absorbent of olive oil, so add more if the pan is too dry or the eggplant is starting to burn. Return the cooked eggplant back to its bowl and set aside.

Add another 2 tbsp of olive oil to the Dutch oven, then add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown in spots, about 5-7 minutes. Return the cooked zucchini back to its bowl and set aside.

Add another 1 tbsp of olive oil to the Dutch oven, then add the onion and peppers and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Return the eggplant and zucchini to the pot. Add the tomatoes. Stir to combine. Add the bay leaf and thyme and gently stir again.

Bring to a simmer, then turn heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, stirring about every 30 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the bay leaf and sprigs of thyme, and stir in the basil. Let cool just slightly before serving.

A small bowl of ratatouille is the most random, but perfect, afternoon snack. Though it is of course excellent as a full meal, especially when served with a crusty baguette (or, secondarily, over pasta or rice).