Brightening up a Winter Day



Doesn't this make you want to cook?

Ratatouille is not only fun to say, and of course to eat, it is also fun to make. To gather up on your kitchen counter an earthy and colourful bunch of fresh vegetables, will britghten up the room as well as your mood! Since these are vegetables that you can find easily year around, it is a great recipe to brighten up a gloomy winter day.

Peppers, onions and eggplants are the core ingredients for this dish, but no other is really necessary or out of place and you can use your imagination and taste, as well as what you have on hand. Red and yellow peppers, zucchine and eggplant looked very good at the market yesterday, onion and garlic I always have in the house. There was a potato in my vegetable drawer, left over from the other night, when I scrubbed too many for my sautée; so I decided to use that one as well. I also had some sliced leeks and swiss chard stalks in the freezer, and figured I would toss them in as well.

Since I do not like my ratatouille to turn to mush, I cut my vegetables in sizable chunks, and have care to add then at different times, accordingly to how fast they will cook. I love the act of chopping vegetables, I find it relaxing and entertaining, pleasant to the touch and the eye. For this recipe it is not necessary to chop everything at once, cut what you need as you need it and it will keep you entertained throughout the preparation. You may also want to pour yourself a glass of wine or fix your favourite aperitif, to reward yourself with a sip during down-time. This, of course, is not vital to the recipe, but just a little treat I allow myself from time to time.

Here is the recipe for last night's Ratatouille:
1 medium eggplant
1 cup frozen swiss chard stalks
1/4 cup frozen sliced leeks
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1/2 red onion
1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 potato
1 zucchina
1 sprig of rosemary
1 sprig of thyme
a few sage leaves
olive oil
salt

Slice the eggplant and layer the slices in a colander, sprinkling with coarse salt.


Sautée the frozen vegetables in olive oil (swiss chard stalks take longer to soften).









Slice the onions and garlic and add to the pot once the swiss chard and leeks are lightly softened but not brown.







Sautée a few more minutes, on med heat, while you cut the peppers and potato.
Add these to the pot and stir gently so that all vegetables are coated with the oil. If the mixture seems to dry, reduce the heat and cover until vegetables release enough moisture.

Shake the salt off the eggplants, dry, cut in chunks and add to pot.








Slice the zucchina and add as well. Make sure you stir gently as these vegetables are very delicate.










Add fresh or dry herbs to taste.


Simmer until vegetables are cooked to taste, covering and uncovering and adjusting the heat as needed.








You may serve the Ratatouille over freshly made polenta for a complete meal, as in the photo, or serve it as a side dish. Left overs are great for topping bruschetta.

Buon appetito!