Summer’s defining quality is colour.
The stands at markets here are bursting with it–blindingly so.
Colour in abundance and it makes my heart sing.
This is my favorite dish this summer and will feature in my new cookbook:
Robin Ellis’ Mediterranean Vegetarian Cooking–the writing of which I am nearly half-way through and which will feature the wonderful photos of Meredith Wheeler!
Search in the fridge and in the bowl on the kitchen table for those peppers you bought a couple of days ago, and have yet to cook.
Perhaps a red and a yellow with a handful of those tender little pale green ones.
Now’s their moment!
Two smallish onions needed too.
And the multi-coloured cherry tomatoes that seduced you at seven in the morning at the Saturday open-air farmers market.
Olive oil, garlic, chili and coriander seeds—are key supporting actors.
No aubergines this time or sloppy courgettes!
This is MY version of a classic dish made many different ways around the Mediterranean.
Maybe not strictly speaking–RATATOUILLE.
A first cousin–let’s call it–to this seasonal delight.
for 2
2 smallish onions—halved and halved again and sliced
2 red peppers—seeded and cut into rough squares
Handful of small green peppers, if you can find them, seeded and cut into rough squares
2 cloves of garlic—roughly chopped
1 tsp coriander seeds—crushed
1 small fresh or dried red chili—chopped small
400 gms fresh ripe tomatoes—roughly chopped into a bowl
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a shallow pan and add the onions.
Soften them gently before adding the garlic.
Cook a further two minutes before adding the second tablespoon of olive oil, the peppers and chili, stirring them in.
Cover the pan and cook gently to soften the peppers—about ten minutes.
Uncover and check that the peppers have lost their hard bite.
When you are happy that they have softened, pour off the excess liquid from the tomatoes (saving it to another bowl) and add them to the pan, stirring everything together.
Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Cook on until the tomatoes have integrated with the peppers in a delicious summer sauce.
You can add a little of the saved tomato juice as the tomatoes cook but this version should not be too mushy.
Serve with a dollop of tapinade or pesto and some green beans. Here it is served on bulgur wheat.
Robin Ellis 
Yum HOW colourful.and lush
Your recipes keep getting better and better
Brightens up a dull.close mizzley day in bodmin
Had to bring my.tomatoes and chillies in doors and put on sun room window sill to.ripen
Oh for your glorious weather
Regards
Trudy bodmin
Thqnks, Trudy.
Thank you for this lovely recipe! I can’t wait to make and enjoy the best of this Summer’s bounty
Thank you for this beautiful dish and the photo really does it proud.However I need to take you to task on ‘sloppy’ courgettes. Those of us who grow them and consequently need to have many recipes, discover the many delights one can achieve. Roasted with a little lemon and oil to courgette cake (made with a little fruit and nuts) these are kings of a mediterranean kitchen!Do check out Ottolenghi’s courgette crush as a great alternative to humous.
Duly taken to task and thank you, Jane!
I love zucchini–you will find them in many forms in the cook books-in my defense!
It is just that they can get mushy in ratatouille.
I shall try roasting them with lemon–give me more of a hint?
Rxx
Robin, This looks good to me. How about you? How are you?
I’m in good form–thank you, Sharon.
Doug says he is lookimg forward to the Ratatouille and would like to know where he can buy the book? Just done a huge shop at our local farm and come home with wonderful colours of red, yellow, orange, greens and purple, so delightful I have to pick up my brushes. (Iam in the middle of a watercolour course) and decided I am going paint your dinner! :-)) Happy eating.
Looking good Robin, will definitely give this one a go. Hope all is well with you both G and Wx
Thanks Graham–all the best to you both too.
So beautiful and delicious looking…. on a positive note .. after years of trying what doctors told me to do for my diabetes and it never working… all they really kept doing was adding more meds…. I took matters into my own hands and am proud to say I am testing as a non diabetic now.
Congratulations! What did you do?
When I get to goal…. I plan on going back to the Mediterranean Diet
Keto…. I know it has a negative reputation …. but I am trying to do mostly healthy fats. So far so good 🙂
Hello – I’d also like to know how you took care of the diabetes.
I like the idea of your first cousin! And that you skipped the eggplant (which has its charms but I can live without it in ratatouille! Merci!
Mouth watering Robin! Truly!!
Looks so lovely and as it happens so many peppers and tomatoes in the greenhouse along with garlic from the allotment so away we go so glad no aubergine/courgettes not two of my fav vegetables great recipe thanks Robin
It looks and sounds delicious will be going this later this week.
Reblogged this on homethoughtsfromabroad626.
Yummy – Thank you, Robin, I never tire of your recipes and your stories about the recipes. From your Med Cooking for Diabetics: My favorite story recipe which I’ve shared with several people is for Interesting Cabbage. Everyone, grab a copy of Robin’s book if you don’t already have it and read about Interesting Cabbage.
Thanks, Karen–it was a hairy moment!
OOh. I never thought of adding coriander. I’ll try that next time. My late husband was a chef (French) and he never thought of it, either. xo
Who can resist this? Not me!
Loved this recipe without mushy veg.cant wait for your new book ,l have all your others.
Meredith’s photos are a joy , between the two of you we are transported to a beautiful world where food is a joy not sinful,.thank you x
Thanks, Olga–very kind.
Brilliant !!! Thank you ! Thank you !
Your new book will be in my Kitchen
If we had better produce in the UK I’d make more dishes like this! I live in Dorset and you wouldn’t believe how hard it is to get decent tomatoes! A deli in Dorchester sells beautiful Isle of Wight tomatoes but all the ones sold in the supermarkets are imported / tasteless! I really envy your choice and variety of fruit and vegetables! We can’t afford to move there unfortunately!s
Great to hear there is a new book on the horizon. Exciting news!
Cannot wait for the book Robin This dish looks delishush as my grandson says
Cheers Brenda
Hello Robin. I hope you and Meredith are both well and that the Winter has been comfortable for you. Robin I haven’t received your blog since last September. I am just hoping all is well and if you are continuing to write it , I would love to still be on your list of readers. Many thanks and best wishes. Helen Wallwork, Toowoomba, Queensland , Australia.
Sent from my iPhone
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Hi Helen
I just started over yesterday.
I have been writing my fourth cookbook for the past year.
R
Robin,
Where are you? So miss your posts.
martha
I just started over yesterday!
R
Hi Robin,
I hope that you and Meredith are fine and in good health. I haven’t received any new blogs from you and was wondering if you are still writing your blog or perhaps you are busy writing a new cookbook. In any case I hope you are well.
Sincerely,
Sandy
I just published one yesterday!
Yes, I have spent a year writing my fourth cookbook.
R
Hi, Robin:
Its been a few years since I last posted. Just crazy busy as we Americans are by nature, I guess. Well, now I am retired! And contrary to popular belief, still as busy as ever! My focus now is all about worthy causes for a better humanity. So time well used anyway.
First, I wanted to tell you, I made your Mediterranean Ratatouille. It was wonderful! I am a closet vegetarian but since my husband is not, I try to sneak it in without being noticed.
Second, I wanted to also tell you that my husband and I prefer the original Poldark with the original cast including Pasco and Dr. Enys. We can live with the Father Warleggan switch ok. Can you believe you starred in a series that to this day, people remember so fondly! The comments preceding mine and simply astounding!
We like the new series and everyone does a good job. However, the powers that be who control the whole thing made a mistake in making it a series a collection of vignettes. People who have not seen Poldark 1 (which I feast on at least once a year) or read the Winston Graham books (which I have done more than once), don’t always get it. My daughter calls me after the episodes and asks all kinds of questions. I have to explain what is happening! There are too many gaps in the story left up to the imagination of the watcher.
The original series was a true story and everything was connected in a logical, clear sequence. No one needed an interpreter.
So fun to see you in the new series but do prefer you as the romantic lead. Much better and as I will always remember you.
We are coming to France next year to take two Viking cruise back to back. If we can we will head for your area and may just see you in the market early one morning.
Thirdly, are you still giving the cooking classes?
Hello again!
Theresa Swanda
Tampa, Florida
Thanks for this, Theresa.
No cooking classes planned for the moment.
I have been busy for a year writing my fourth cookbook.
R