My Niçoise Ratatouille, even if I come from Lorraine -- Ma ratatouille niçoise, même si je suis lorraine
You Must Eat Ratatouille at Least Once in your Lifetime!
At this time of year, farmer's markets are full of delicious summer vegetables. It is interesting to see how we actually change our cooking habits with the seasons. In summer of course, I think that we want lighter meals, cooler in many ways, although I tend to believe that they do not necessarily cool us down. To me, the change also occurs in the colors that you want to put in your plate. Whereas in fall color tones are muted, in summer they are vibrant and shine, just like the sun that we get plenty of! Ratatouille is a true classic of French cooking that I am sure we all have at least one recipe of. Colorwise, I find that it is neither a fully autumn nor a fully summer dish. It is rather in the middle, between the two seasons, as it uses summer vegetables but has muted fall colors. Defined as a vegetable stew, it then comes to no surprise that la ratatouille is a comfy and rustic type of food. The best! For those who do not necessarily know what it is, let me say a few words about it, on how I grew to love this dish for so long disliked when I was a little girl.
Ratatouille is a traditional dish from Nice in the South of France. Its name comes from two French verbs, tatouiller and ratouiller, both coming from the verb touiller which means to stir up. Because this is what you do when you make ratatouille. You stir the vegetables. Today, many ratatouille variations exist all across Provence and everywhere in France, although we cannot but refer to this coarse vegetable stew as la ratatouille niçoise. In it, you usually find eggplants, zucchinis, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and onions cooked in olive oil. Simple and rustic but really delicious. To me, the key is to simmer this stew for a minimum of an hour, uncovered, so that the flavors develop together. As a matter of fact, the more it cooks, the better it is. Make note of what P. often tells me when I make ratatouille "C'est encore meilleur réchauffé !" (It is even better reheated!)
I like to cook mine with a bay leaf and freshly chopped tarragon because it gives it a herb fragrance I personally like. I also add a pinch of sugar to prevent the tomatoes to provide too much acidity. But then, it is the quality of the tomatoes that drive it and make the difference, which is why it is so important to make this dish at the peak of the season, when tomatoes are ripe and sweet.
How to eat it? I enjoy eating my ratatouille with a dash of white balsamic vinegar, but not everyone likes to do so. It is delicious on its own, with a nice loaf of pain de campagne (don't you love to dip your croûton in the thick sweet sauce!), or served with rice, meat or fish. The bonus is also that you can eat it warm, or cold, which makes it your perfect friend for summer barbecues. There is no good reason not to love vegetables!
Ratatouille niçoise
You need:- 2 medium sized zucchinis (11 oz)
- 2 small eggplants (11 oz)
- 2 shallots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 lb + 2 to 4 oz tomatoes
- 1/2 yellow pepper
- 1/2 red pepper
- 1 Tbsp tarragon, chopped
- 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp fine sugar
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Chop all vegetables in small cubes.
- Chop the garlic and shallots thinly.
- Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a thick-bottomed pot (Le Creuset style).
- Add the zucchinis and eggplants and cook for 5 mns until softer. Set aside.
- Heat 2 more Tbsp olive oil and then add the garlic, peppers and shallots. Cook for 3 to 4 mns, until softer.
- Add the tomatoes and mix well. Cook for 5 mns before adding the zucchinis and eggplants again.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the chopped herbs, the bay leaf and the tsp of sugar, and cook uncovered on low heat for 1 hour.
Le coin français
Ratatouille niçoise
Ingrédients :- 2 courgettes de taille moyenne (300 g)
- 2 aubergines (300 g)
- 2 échalotes
- 3 gousses d'ail
- 500 à 600 g de tomates
- 1/2 poivron jaune
- 1/2 poivron rouge
- 1 càs d'estragon haché
- 1 càs de persil haché
- 1 feuille de laurier
- 1 càc de sucre fin
- Huile d'olive
- Sel et poivre
- Coupez tous les légumes en petits cubes.
- Hachez les gousses d'ail et les échalotes.
- Faites chauffer 2 càs d'huile d'olive dans une casserole à fond épais (type Le Creuset).
- Ajoutez les courgettes et les aubergines et cuisez pendant 5 mns jusqu'à ce qu'elles soient tendres. Mettez de côté.
- Dans la même casserole, faites chauffer 2 autres càs d'huile d'olive et faites-y revenir l'ail et les échalotes avec les poivrons. Cuisez pendant 3 à 4 mns, jusqu'à ce que les légumes soient translucides.
- Ajoutez les tomates et mélangez. Cuisez pendant 5 mns avant d'ajoutez le mélange courgette/aubergine.
- Assaisonnez avec du sel et du poivre.
- Ajoutez les herbes, la feuille de laurier, la càc de sucre et faites cuire à feux doux pendant 1 heure, à découvert.
38 Comments
M May ·
K Kat ·
K kalyn ·
M mercotte ·
S sher ·
C Claude-Olivier ·
J jenjen ·
L Lauriana ·
R rowena ·
J Jeff ·
T Tanna ·
G Gracianne ·
J J ·
J Julie ·
F Fabienne ·
C ces ·
M Mae ·
P ParisBreakfasts ·
M Mitsuko ·
B Béa ·
Kat, thanks my dear!
Kalyn, I loved the post on Blogher and thanks for the mention. I hope you enjoy the ratatouille.
Mercotte, ce sont les meilleurs, pas vrai ?
Sher, yes totally agree with you. A great leftover dish!
Merci Claude-Olivier ahahh oui la bouillie, tu me fais rire ! ;-)
Jenjen, oh you have to try, I am sure you will love it. It is summer in your plate !
Lauriana, ah oui, génial. Je viens d'un petit village à 70 kms de Metz ! ;-)
Rowena, thanks! That is a real nice ompliment coming from you. And I hear you, I got homegrown tomatoes from a friend yesterday and was in heaven!
Jeff, thanks!
Tanna, yes it is funny, isn't it? How we change food habits like this, without a logical explanation.
Gracianne, ahahha. Je retiens cela! Je ne savais pas !
J, thanks my dear. Indeed, reheated is the best for this dish. Flavors develop even more.
Julie, ah no, I didn't see it. I will have to add it to my list. I want to see this scene!
Fabienne, ah mais que oui ! ;-)
Ces, oh you have to give it a try!
Mae, ah yes, I like this cast iron dish too ;-) Did you search on line for the lights? I will see what I find on my end, will let you know.
Carol, ah let me know how it goes! Thanks for your nice note, as usual.
Mitsuko, j'espère que tu aimeras ! Merci à tous
P peggy ·
J J. Gilbert ·
B Béa ·
Q queue_t ·
K kalyn ·
L Lisa ·
T Tea ·
A Ana ·
C Christine ·
L Lorraine Café ·
N NancyLynn ·
B Bob Bull ·
E emeline ·
K Kimberly ·
M michel olivier ·
J John ·
F Fanny ·
A Annie ·