RECIPE - Ratatouille

This is a French classic! Traditionally a peasant dish made by farmers, which roughly translates as a 'motley stew' of vegetables. It is a vegan's dream as it combines a wide range of nutritious vegetables and can be done in many different ways. This is one of the reasons I love it, as one can use a combination of herbs and vegetables available to them.

For me, there are a few musts in terms of vegetables (aubergine, courgette, tomato and peppers) and flavours (garlic, onion, lemon & fresh herbs) to include, but the rest is down to the individual and what is available.

Ratatouille can be made as a 'messy' stew or the more 'refined' movie style ratatouille. I love the movie, so take my inspiration from that version, I also feel that you can taste the individual vegetables more this way.

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Shopping list (makes approx 8 portions):

• Red pepper x half-1

• Yellow pepper x half-1

• Shitake (or your favourite) mushrooms, bag x1

• White onion x1

• Garlic clove x3-4

• Aubergine, large (western) x1 /OR/ small (Japanese) x3

• Courgette x1-2

• Fresh tomatoes x4

• Chopped/plumb tomatoes, tin x1-2

• Lemon x1

• A bunch of fresh & dry herbs - basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano

• Extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine, tomato puree/paste, bay leaves, red chilli flakes/chilli sauce, salt & pepper - these are all things I have in my cupboard permanently, so don't obviously shop for them every time, but you need all these items, bar the chilli if you don't like spice. I am growing fresh herbs at home, so have them on hand, but obviously buy them if you don't have them. You don't need them all, pick and chose your favourites/what is available and maybe get dried versions of the others. This week I am using steamed carrots, daikon and a little rice as the 'base' under my ratatouille, but obviously substitute/leave out the rice if you want it 100% paleo. This is also delicious with crusty bread/garlic bread if you're 'cheating'!

All the items listed above cost me around 1500yen from 'Ozeki' in Matsubara and will feed me (lunch and dinner) for most of the working-week (8 meals). That's under 200yen per tasty, nutrient dense, hearty, filling meal!

Method:

Begin by getting your 'base' ready:

• Put 3 cups of rice in your rice cooker and start it cooking (if that is what you're having as your 'base')

• Steam your daikon, carrots and cabbage and put to the side (if that is what you're having as your 'base')

Begin the ratatouille by making the 'sauce':

• Put a good lug of olive oil in a large wok.

• Finely mince 2-3 garlic cloves, dice the onion and add along with 2-3 dried bay leaves to the wok.

• Chop your peppers and mushrooms into small 'chunks' and set aside.

• Turn the heat on your wok to medium-high and fry the garlic and onion until it becomes fragrant and the onion begins to become translucent.

• Add the mushrooms and fry until they just begin to absorb the oil.

• Add the peppers and fry until they just begin to become soft.

• Turn the wok to high and add half a cup, to a cup, of red wine. Fry vigorously to cook off the alcohol.

• Turn the heat to medium/low and add your tin(s) of tomatoes, a tablespoon of tomato paste and a good lug of balsamic vinegar.

• Next, add your desired amount of chilli (if you want spice), a good sprinkling of any dried herbs you are adding and salt and pepper to taste.

• Bring to a simmer and allow flavours to develop, vegetables to soften and sauce to thicken, for approx 10mins.

• Half way through cooking and a a little of your fresh herbs finely chopped.

• Taste the sauce and adjust salt/sweetness (balsamic)/chilli. Then take off the heat to avoid over-cooking the fresh herbs and them turning a dull-off-green.

Make a flavoured oil for the main veg of the dish:

• Put a good lug of olive oil into a small pot/bow (around 6 table spoons+?)

• Mince a clove of garlic (or a teaspoon of a good garlic paste) and add to the oil.

• Zest a lemon and add to the oil.

• Finely chop your fresh herbs and add to the oil - I mainly went for basil, with a little parsley and rosemary.

• Add salt and pepper to taste and shichimi if you like spice.

Build you ratatouille for baking:

• Pre-heat your oven to 200°C.

• Pour the sauce into the base of an oven proof dish.

• Slice the aubergine, courgette and fresh tomatoes into approx 5mm slices.

• Build your ratatouille by placing alternating slices of the three above mentioned, vertically, on top of the sauce.

• When you have filled the dish, drizzle your flavoured oil on top of the sliced vegetables.

• Cover the dish with foil and bake covered for around 30mins.

• Uncover the dish and cook for a further 15mins to brown the top of the vegetables.

Serving ratatouille:

As always, it is completely up to you how you serve this/what you serve it with. This week I am having steamed carrots, daikon, cabbage and a little rice, but if you want to be 100% paleo obviously substitute/leave out the rice. If you are cheating, as mentioned, this goes great with some crusty, olive-oiled and toasted bread / garlic bread!

When you are finished cooking / serving your ratatouille, it may look something like this:

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Doesn't it just MAKESENSE to find great traditional vegan dishes which are made up of a wide range of nutritious vegetables, not just one or two. The fresh herbs and lemon make this dish and it's versatility in the way it can be served / what it can be served with can make it a completely different meal each time!

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