Ratatouille

A Vegetable Stew From the South of France

For 4 to 6

Time, preparation and cooking: around one hour

There are as many recipes of Ratatouille (a typical Provençale stewed fresh vegetable dish) as there are cooks, some claim the vegetables should be cooked separately.
However our recipe recommends cooking all the vegetables together: its easier, quicker and tastier!

(1) Peel the zucchini and eggplants in strips lengthwise and dice into cubes.

(2) Cut the green bell peppers into strips lengthwise, if you use fresh red bell peppers, peel them first by broiling them beforehand for a few minutes but preserved red bell peppers are just as delicious if you choose a good glass-jar brand**.

(3) Lightly brown the sweet onions in a spoonful of olive oil preferably in an enamel cast iron pot.

(4) Add the zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, let cook for around ten minutes at low heat, without covering and stirring with a wooden spoon making sure the ratatouille does not burn or stick.

(5) In the mean time, plunge the tomatoes in boiling water for 2 minutes and peel them, add them to the stew.

Continue cooking with cover over slow/medium heat for around 35 minutes, the vegetables must neither be too soft nor turn into a mushy soup. Taste, season with salt and pepper and add a few drops of nioi-chili pepper water.

Can be served either hot or cold.

Garnish either way with fresh basil.

If served cold, may be made a day ahead: cover with a sliver of olive oil, and add a little lime juice and freshly chopped basil before serving.

Qualifies as a Vegetarian Dish.

Notes :

* Organic tomatoes from the Big Island (Sunrise, Kamuela, HI) or Molokai vine-ripened

** canned Mezzetta or Dunbars roasted bell-peppers

*** optionally dissolve three spoonfuls of tomato paste in lemon juice