Ratatouille- Simple and Healthy French Cooking

"The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken. Bon appétit." ~Julia Child

When most people think of French food, cream sauces and butter-laden dishes come to mind. But not all French dishes are heavy and rich. Au contraire....(that's French for "on the contrary) a great deal of French fare is actually quite healthy.


I was first introduced to ratatouille in the 1970s by my health-conscious mother. She regularly served my family vegetarian or lean-meat dishes while the other kids on the block dined on hamburgers, macaroni and cheese, and fried boloney. I was none too happy about eating ratatouille back then but, as an adult, have grown to love this dish that's both a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.

Ratatouille (pronounced rat-a-too-ee) is widely known as a French dish though it can be traced back to the Basque people who introduced it to the French in pre-Roman times. The name "ratatouille" comes from the French word "touiller" which means "to toss". Disney Pixar's film of the same name about a rat who dreamed of being a chef brought about a resurgence in the popularity of ratatouille.

Though ratatouille is sometimes described as a stewed dish, this recipe involves more of a saute-before-baking process. After briefly sauteeing the vegetables in olive oil, each layer of mushroom, green pepper, tomato, onion, zucchini and eggplant is generously sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. As the dish bakes in the oven, the cheese bubbles and melts throughout while browning ever so lightly on the top.

There's no guilt involved in devouring this dish from the Provence Region of France. One serving is only 273 calories and filling enough to make a meal in and of itself.

Ratatouille

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp dried parsley

1 eggplant, chopped into cubes

salt to taste

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 zucchini, sliced

1 large onion, sliced into rings

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 green bell pepper, sliced

2 large tomatoes, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub 1 tbsp. of the olive oil on the bottom and sides of your baking pan.


2. Heat the rest of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onion slices until lightly brown. Mix in the parsley and eggplant and continue to saute about 10 more minutes, until the eggplant is soft. Sprinkle salt to taste over the sauteed vegetables.


3. Spread the eggplant, onion and garlic mixture over the bottom of a baking pan or casserole. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese over the eggplant layer. Place the sliced zucchini over the cheese for another layer, then salt lightly and add another layer of Parmesan cheese. Continue the layering process with the mushrooms, bell peppers and tomatoes. Add a layer of Parmesan cheese in between each vegetable layer as well as on top of the final layer.


4. Bake for 45 minutes in a covered baking pan or casserole. Remove the lid for the last five minutes of baking to allow the cheese to brown.


Cooking Tip: Substitute red, yellow or orange bell peppers for green and sliced yellow summer squash for the zucchini.


Dining Tip: Serve with Sauvignon Blanc and a side of crusty, French bread.

Bon appétit!!