|
If the celebrity-chef talk-show circuit hasn’t yet convinced you
that “chef” as a profession is now just a little shy of “rock-star”,
certainly last year’s hit film Ratatouille proves that the culinary
arts are hot. But while the little animated rat with the refined
palate took his dish into the realm of haute cuisine, I’d like to
forget the first syllable of the word for awhile and take it back to
it’s original meaning of “toss” or “stir up” from the local language of
the south of France, where abundant summer produce led to the creation
of the dish. Just a delicious little “throw-together,” if you
will.
Although a departure from the original pan-fried version, I like to
enhance the vegetables using the ultimate summer cooking method—the
grill. It’s worth firing up the grill just for this dish, which
can be a great vegetarian main course, served with rice, couscous, or
just some good crusty bread. But you could also grill the
vegetables and assemble the ratatouille while your choice of meat
cooks. You can eat it hot off the grill, or mix it up in advance;
it improves in flavor with a night or two in the fridge. When you
toss it all together, it becomes a great pot-luck offering that will be
delicious served at whatever temperature it happens to be when you
arrive. Take that ratatouille; you’ll win over the critics every
time.
Grilled Ratatouille
1 medium eggplant
2 medium zucchini
2 red bell peppers
1 red onion
4 large garlic cloves
1 large fresh tomato
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
sherry vinegar, or red wine vinegar, to taste
Light a grill and heat until medium-hot. Meanwhile, lightly coat
a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil, then sprinkle it with salt
and pepper. Slice the eggplant into ¾-inch rounds and lay the
slices on the baking sheet, turning once to coat both sides.
Slice the zucchini lengthwise into ½-inch thick planks. Coat them
in olive oil, salt and pepper, stacking the eggplant up and adding more
olive oil to the pan when necessary. Slice the red onion
crosswise into ½-inch thick slices and slide skewers through the rings;
add the garlic cloves (still in their skins) to the skewers.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut the
tomato in half and lightly coat the outer skin with oil, sprinkling the
cut side with salt. Leave the peppers whole and rub them with oil.
Place the red peppers on the hot spot of the grill, in flames if
possible, turning often until the skins are charred and blistered all
over. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam until
cool enough to handle. Put the tomato-halves cut side up on the
coolest part of the grill. Put the onion skewers, zucchini and
eggplant on the grill, 4 to 5 minutes per side, turning once.
Leave the tomatoes on until everything else is cooked, unless they
start to burn.
When the roasted peppers are cool enough, slip off the skins, remove
the seeds and slice into ¼-inch strips and set aside. Smash the
garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife, removing their skins and
place in a large bowl. Put the tomatoes into the bowl, peeling
off the skins. Add the oregano, smash the tomatoes with a fork
and stir together. Cut the eggplant, zucchini and onion into
large dice, add all to the bowl. Add the red peppers.
Drizzle with a little more olive oil, add a few dashes of vinegar and
season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat evenly.
Editor’s Note: Angela Denstad Stigeler writes a food column each
week for the Caledonia Argus. She, her husband and their two young
children live in Caledonia.
|
