Ratatouille Perfected - Unusual technique. Your New Fav! |Christine Cushing

I show you how to perfect this beloved southern French classic vegetable dish. Why you want to soak your aubergines/ eggplant in water. There are many variations and mine will become a favourite . Learn all the details including how to slice each vegetable and how to keep their texture.
You can also add some goat cheese or feta cheese for extra depth of flavour. Let's go to Provence.

FULL RECIPE BELOW :

RATATOUILLE

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (50 ml)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Japanese or Italian eggplant, sliced lengthwise on mandolin
1/2 red bell pepper cut into pieces
1/2 yellow bell pepper cut into pieces
2 small zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 small head fennel, cored , cut into very thin slices , optional
350 gm grape tomatoes ( about 20-25 ) , cut in half, lengthwise
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (30 ml)
whole tarragon sprigs
fresh thyme leaves
fresh oregano
handful chopped fresh basil and fresh leaves for garnish
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (15 ml)
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Drizzle olive oil in bottom of a round or oval baking dish.
Thinly slice the onion and arrange on bottom to cover dish. Place half the tomatoes, cut side up on top of onions and half the garlic. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with some of the herbs.
Soak the eggplant slices in water sprinkled with salt for a 15 minutes . Remove and drain.

Arrange the eggplant slices working from the outer edge of pan.
Next arrange the peppers, alternating red and yellow continue with the fennel slices moving inward towards middle of pan. Finally
finish with the slices of zucchini in the centre.

Arrange tomatoes and more herbs throughout , not overlapping too much.

Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with lots of olive oil and fresh whole sprigs of thyme and tarragon and leaves of parsley.

Cover and bake in a 375 D oven for 30 minutes. Remove lid and finish cooking to caramelize the veggies and tomatoes for approximately 20- 30 minutes. If you want a dryer more roasted texture , roast with lid off the entire time. Veggies should be tender but not soggy.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh basil leaves .

Cover and bake in a 375 D oven for 30 minutes. Remove lid and finish cooking to caramelize the veggies and tomatoes for approximately 15-20 minutes.

Veggies should be tender but not soggy.

Remove and sprinkle with fresh basil leaves .

#ratatouille #vegetarian

[andrewkettle]

This was a delicious surprise with its explosion of flavours. I usually dislike ratatouille (even - or maybe especially - as served in restaurants) mainly because of that soggy, stewy way it’s usually cooked….and also because I can’t stand red peppers. (I just left them out here. Loved the addition of fennel though. ) My favourites of your recipes are Moussaka and Asparagus Risotto. Now this one has made the top 3. Thanks for all the great ideas.

[lizoconnor]

Thank Godess it's summer! I can already taste it's gonna be great!!!! That's what the tastbuds of my imagination are telling me! You are a genius ❤

[TheAgentbosko]

Colors of Fall, it looks beautiful and I’m sure it tastes delicious at this time of the year we eat local produce.

[joeduca]

Nice technique on the pepper. Mandolin for thin slicing, yeah that blade is a weapon. I sliced my finger just washing it before first use. I usually roast cubed eggplant in the oven with other vegetables. Always adding kalamata olives, sometimes oil cured- but easy on the added salt. My favorite eggplant and zucchini is marinated and then on the grill. My dad use to bottle eggplant, what he called "cold packing". Layered it with cut celery, slices of hot pepper, garlic, tons of dried oregano, and filled with olive oil. We lived on the second floor, one day I came home and I could smell it in the driveway! Heaven 😋 I miss that, and him 😢, mom too ❤ and her "chumbougt". So much for 1st and 2nd generation Italian/American dialect 😅 Thanks Christine, but bring some crusty bread next time, love ya 😊❤

[LindaCasey]

Indeed, oe la la. (almost moussaka) .. I like how you built it up from the bottom .. I'm going to give this a try (using Greek oil of course 😉)

[Sarah-zgqs]

I love egg plant but I never know how to cook or what it goes with. Thank you for sharing this at least I have one recipe I can count on.

[erichenderson]

Ratatouille is both: my number one favorite food movie ever made and perfect dish for vegetarians.

[andreroy]

You're a genius! I was wondering what to serve with roast chicken tomorrow, besides potatoes. :)

Also, nice trivet!