Ratatouille came into my mind as I was walking this morning–must have been the sun coming up.
A classic vegetable stew and the culinary face of summer! Looking at it makes you smile and forget–for a second– the state of the world.
Memories of holidays in Southern Europe drift into view.
Elizabeth David calls it Ratatouille de Nice–“a sunny place for shady people“–according to Somerset Maugham–in her definitive tome, French Provincial Cooking.
Haven’t made it for years–got distracted by spicier recipes in the repertoire for sweet pepper, aubergine and tomato.
Shakshuka for instance–which features in my latest cookbook, Mediterranean Cooking for Diabetics, p. 41—with a couple of eggs melting into the surface.
Ratatouille is gentler–relying on herbs for its flavor enhancers–rosemary, bay, thyme, marjoram.
We’ll have it for lunch, with pork chops and rosemary, cooked in a cosy nest of aubergine slices.
- 3 tblsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion–roughly chopped
- 3 sweet peppers–red and yellow makes a pretty picture
- 1 medium aubergine–halved and quartered lengthwise and then sliced into square inch pieces
- 3 tomatoes–skinned and roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves–pulped
- 1 tsp coriander seeds–crushed
- Sprigs of thyme, rosemary and bay–all added with the toms
- 1 medium courgette–prepared as the aubergine
Heat 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil in a medium pan and add the onions.
Cook over a gentle flame until they soften–about five minutes.
Add the chopped peppers, aubergine and garlic to the pan and turn everything over in the oil.
Cover the pan and cook on a low flame for about 35 minutes–until the vegetables soften nicely.
Add the tomatoes, courgette, the herbs and the coriander seeds and turn it all again–being careful to preserve the shape of the veggy pieces, remembering that it’s the face of summer!
Cook for a further half hour–uncovered.
A dollop of tapinade (black olive dip–recipe also in my cookbook), enhances the feeling of being in Europe du Sud.
Looks delicious. Peppers are a favorite and they are large and plentiful this time of year!
Looks very tasty…..yum !
Yum! This is a summer favorite, though I peel off the bitter aubergine skin.
Just reminded me that I love ratatouille with a baked potato and likewise haven’t had it for a while. Thank you!
Absolutely gorgeous. X
Funny how Yum comes to mind for ratatouille. Definitely on the “to do” list. Thanks Robin. Hope you’ve had a great summer, we have. The weather is turning here in Ohio, a little early. Thoughts go out to Texas.
Absolutely Divine, ❤️X
I tried to rate this five but my phone didn’t cooperate! Thanks for reminding me of this dish! ( and the animated movie of the same name!)
BON APPETIT!!!!
Ratatouille (and it’s cousin caponata as well) are delicious served alongside softly scrambled eggs for brunch or lunch. Add a simple green salad, a glass of chilled rose’ and fresh crusty bread. Oh, My!
Looking forward to making this dish.
Watched on Dish TV the other day, “The Curse of King Tut’s Tomb from 1980. It was shown during the week I think a couple of times or more. I enjoyed it. It was great seeing you on TV again. Wish it was more often.
Thank you for making life more enjoyable.
ellen
Oh my–that was a while ago. 1979, I think. It was great to see the wonders of Egypt from a privileged position.
Robin,once again you have shown us that food has to be a feast for the eyes as well as the tummy!
This is absolutely gorgeous!
Ratatouille is a huge favorite in our family;top of the list for everything including comfort food!
Thank you!
Prayers going out for Texas and all of the flood victims.
Thank you, Natalia–I agree, food should look edible!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I bought your cookbook, which is fabulous!
Thanks, Margaret.
I have all these ingredients at the moment and wondered what I was going to do with them. I haven’t made a nice ratatouille in a very long time. You’ve inspired me!
Bon appétit!
Reblogged this on breathelighter and commented:
It’s unusual for me to reblog a post, but I thought I’d enjoy sharing a blogger many of you may not think you know by name, yet may recognize. I was first introduced to Robin Ellis through a PBS pledge drive. I’m a big fan of “Poldark” on Masterpiece Theater, and Robin is the original Poldark first introduced in the 1970’s.
Fortunately I don’t have any health concerns at this time, but I’m committed to a healthy diet, and I am “at home” with his food tastes. Robin shares wonderful recipes from his cookbook “Meditterranean Cooking for Diabetics.” I am happy to share this introduction!
Thanks for the endorsement, Debra and for sharing.
You’re so welcome. I am always happy to see you’ve posted!
Thanks for posting so many of your recipes online. Love your books, but I find standing up my tablet less cumbersome when I cook. I use an app to download these with just a couple of clicks, and it also makes the recipes easier to share.
Thank you, Sue.
I seem to feel the smell through the screen, your ratatouille has the sun inside and releases the scent of the summer! 🌻Thank you for sharing, Robin!
I love the look of summer vegetables–and the taste.
Robin, you consistently show us that nutrition is only part of what food offers. The scrumptious colors of Ratatouille are very seductive. I am so fortunate to have been in one of your earlier “classes” and to find the benefits of Mediterranean cooking. Poldark was the key! Thanks for continuing to teach and inspire us.
Hi Sandy. Meredith captures the scrumptious factor brilliantly–I’m lucky to have my in-house snapper. Hope all is well with you.
Thanks for receipy Will definitely try your version Sounds yummy Hope cats are all well Always enjoy a kitty update Am at present in England and got to see Poldark season three on BBC REPLAY before all my friends in the States Of course I shall watch all the episodes again. There was a lovely interview on You Tube with Aiden Turner and I loved his comment about playing your older role 20 years from now. Hope you are back to walking All the best and do keep the receipies coming Reguards Rachel
Sent from my iPhone
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Sneak previews are fun–safe journey home.
Hi Robin! My mum was making ratatouille in the early 1960s! She was a great fan of Elizabeth David and followed many of her books. She also used to put a fried egg on top and we ate both with her own bread. If there was any left over, it would become a filling for omelettes. Love the stuff!
Our mums were obviously like minded and adventurous in the sixties. I used E David today.
Me too! Back in the 70s and 80s I used to give boxed sets of her books to new brides for a wedding present.
Looks delicious, Robin! I may make it to accompany your pork chop recipe from “Healthy Eating for Life,” so tasty and juicy, even with the super-lean pork nowadays.
Watching the original “Poldark,” I’m struck by how great an actress Jill Townsend was; how sad I am she retired. She really displays the levels of Elizabeth’s dilemma, how constricted her behavior is by her class. Even though we’re upset she causes Dear Ross such heartache, we aren’t angry with her, but sympathetic. Such genius from Winston Graham, how he features two leading ladies who are the two different parts of the protagonist: Demelza, the free spirit and Elizabeth, who does what’s expected of her. Your scenes with her are so enjoyable – one never knows what will happen!
You are right, Mary–Jill was brilliant.
We met up a couple of years ago in California where she lives with her husband. It was a joy to see her.
Sounds good! 🙂 🙂 Even though it’s still breakfast time here.
The photo of the finished dish is certainly a feast for the eyes with a pretty spoon. I’m inspired to make this dish tomorrow since I have the ingredients and despite the weather turning cooler the last few days in East Sussex.
Thank you so much for sharing. 🌹
Apple iPad
I’d love to know the nutritional value of this gorgeous dish.
We’ve had it tonight for the first time it certainly won’t be the last
The fact that you enjoy it gives it value.
My Mum was making this in the early 60s but we had an Italian greengrocer in our parade of shops which meant we could get all the ingredients. She was a huge fan of Elizabeth David and had all her books, as we did too after our wedding in 1966! When we all went to my brother’s wedding in France in 1969 and hired a gite afterwards, we lived in Ratatouille! Wonderful stuff. We still have it with a couple of fried eggs on top – bit like a deconstructed omelette really!