Choose a dish using typical French herbs. These are thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, and bay leaf. If you choose sides/mains seasoned with these, they should be a perfect match for ratatouille. An accompaniment for fish (6 minute dinner!) – Literally the fastest meal ever. I just pan-fried a piece of fish and piled over the Ratatouille. Think of it as a salad, side and salsa sauce all in one! So good! Ratatouille is a vegetable stew originating from Provence, a part of France on the Mediterranean coast known for its warm climate and excellent regional food. We’ll finish off our ratatouille with a handful of chopped basil, which livens up our stew with fresh flavor. We’ll also add a sprinkle of dried oregano—crumble it between your fingers as you add it to wake up the flavor. Then, add salt and pepper until your ratatouille tastes completely wonderful.

Sweat eggplant– Sprinkle the eggplant with salt then set aside for 30 minutes to make them sweat. By this, I mean that the salt will draw water out of the eggplant and you’ll see little beads of moisture on the surface.You can also add Mediterranean flavors by topping your pappardelle with some basil and feta. Then, squeeze some lemon juice over the dish to brighten it up even further. Perfection! 10. Risotto From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot. In Provence, ratatouille is typically cooked on the stove. Each vegetable is cooked in olive oil until it’s properly tender. In the end, all of the ingredients are combined and simmered to meld the flavors. Fresh thyme and basil– Thyme is for the braising, and basil for a fresh finish. Plenty of alternatives exist here so don’t fret if you don’t have these two exact herbs. A sprinkle of dried oregano instead would be totally at home, or even mixed herbs for that matter. To finish, fresh parsley would go down a treat; Meanwhile, make a simple tomato sauce on the stovetop. Stir the roasted vegetables into the simmering tomato sauce as they’re ready.

Just before serving, re-heat if desired, then put the ratatouille under a hot grill until lightly browned. Serve with extra virgin olive oil and crusty bread. Eggplant is known for being difficult to prepare, but it’s easy to roast! No salting necessary. The oven takes care of everything. Zucchini & Yellow Squash Once done, transfer the eggplant to a large pot in which all the vegetables will be combined to braise. Add each veg to this pot as you sauté them off. See below for why we use a separate pot;Eggs and ratatouille are perfect together. Creamy eggs and crisp veggies? The flavor and textural contrasts are on point! Ratatouille is one of those fabulous dishes that can be served either as a main or side dish. It also happily keeps for days, being meat and dairy-free. In fact, the pictured Ratatouille was consumed by me over the course of 5 days in various forms, including as: Tomato puree for sauce – Chop the tomato and blitz using your appliance of choice. No need to do this if using canned crushed tomato or passata; Meanwhile, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and caramelizing on the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Better yet, why not cook the vegetables in some of that sausage fat for an even tastier stew? Sure, it won’t be as healthy, but the flavor combination hits all the right notes, so it’s worth the splurge!

Now, if you want something as filling as rice, but don’t want all the calories, opt for quinoa instead. It’s just as hearty, but minus all the guilt! A ragout, of course, suggests something cooked long and slow on the hob – but there is some debate about whether the constituent parts should be cooked together, or separately. Larousse Gastronomique notes that "according to the purists, the different vegetables should be cooked separately, then combined and cooked slowly together until they attain a smooth, creamy consistency." It then, with characteristic Gallic insouciance, goes on to give a recipe in which everything is lumped in together and pedants be damned. Keep it simple. France is famous for its intricate recipes even for stews and soups, although ratatouille is one of the lightest French stews ever (especially compared to a hearty, meaty Beef Bourguignon). So keep it simple and choose a side or main that highlights the delicious variety of summer veggies in ratatouille. And you can also place a bed of rice underneath for a hearty, tasty, and nutritious rice bowl. It’s the perfect dish to brighten up cold a cold or cloudy day. 16. Red Wine Savor the ocean's fine flavours with our fish and seafood selection. From tuna to salmon, each can is a gateway to culinary possibilities that transport you to coastal destinations and bring a taste of the sea to your plate.For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb! Crumble up some savory and smoky Italian sausage and sprinkle it over your ratatouille for an explosion of meat and veggie goodness! Toss the eggplant with olive oil and salt on one baking sheet, and the squash and bell pepper on another baking sheet. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer. (Using two pans gives the vegetables room to breathe and lets us split the veggies by cook times.) It’s a great way to use up a surplus of late-summer veggies. If you come home from the farmers’ market with too much, make ratatouille.