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Ratatouille
Provençal
by Christian Wise, from the November 2004 newsletter
Another month has gone by and my mind remains on comfort food. A nice dish that can be used either as a main course or a side is Ratatouille Provençal. The word “provençal” generally references a preparation made with a tomato base using garlic and olive oil with the possible use of mushrooms and/or olives. Our Ratatouille won’t have olives or mushrooms, but it’s a dish that is a lot like stew: you can put anything you want in it. To me, Ratatouille is very much a part of the Fall season—being so thick and richly dark, served hot it is filling and the spices smell good.
Ratatouille can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or so and it can be frozen without issue. Because I have decided that either people will make up food in advance for themselves or they will be eating in groups, I have made the following recipe for 10 people. It’s a personally developed recipe that has evolved over the last 20 years or so.
Ratatouille
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups vegetable stock/base/broth (fresh, instant, or canned)
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup yellow squash, cleaned and 1” diced
1 cup zucchini, cleaned and 1” diced
1/2 cup sweet green pepper, cleaned and rough diced
1 cup eggplant, cleaned and 1” diced
1 cup tomato sauce
3 medium Bay leaves
sea salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. fresh, chopped basil
1/2 tsp. thyme, dried leaves
1 tsp. ground mustardTopping
2/3 cup of shredded Swiss Cheese (I like Jarlsberg)
1/2 cup of shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 cup of bread crumbs
A nice 3–4 quart sauté pan will work to start off, then you will be transferring the vegetable mixture to an equally sized casserole dish.
Place olive oil, garlic and onion in your sauté pan on medium heat. Allow the pan to heat up with the onion and garlic. As soon as a slight bit of crackling starts, add all other vegetables. The color and texture we are looking for in the vegetable is a clear browning around the edges of the vegetables; stir the mixture routinely so that all vegetables get a chance to brown and sear in the olive oil.
Once the vegetables are about 3/4 of the way done (still firm, but nicely browned on the edges), deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add the wine around the edge of the pan so that it gets to immediately touch all parts of the pan as quickly as possible. Allow the mixture to simmer for a couple of minutes.
After the mixture has simmered for a couple of minutes, add the vegetable broth, tomato paste and tomato sauce. (Note: Vegetable Broth can be made by using a powder or paste and adding water, or it can be purchased ready-made in a carton or can. We need 2 cups of the broth, preferably a little strong if you are making it from a powder or paste.)
At this point, we are well on our way to creating a great evening meal. Allow mixture to simmer for about 5-6 minutes at a low boil, then add the herbs and seasonings and allow to simmer at medium-low for another 5 minutes.
Nearing the end, place the mixture in the casserole dish and evenly spread each cheese over the mixture, then place the breadcrumbs evenly over the cheese and set the whole mess into the oven at 325°F for 35-40 minutes. The top crust should be nicely browned. I’d suggest placing a cookie sheet under your casserole dish, for it can bubble a bit and make a mess.
To make a meal, a little brown rice or nice pasta can be served with it or it can be served as the vegetable of the meal. Being a cheesehead, I am especially fond of the crust. Hope you like it.
Christian Wise, after spending a little over a decade as a lawyer, decided to go back to his roots. He started working in food service at age 12 and is now the executive chef at the University of Idaho Campus Dining.
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