My Robust Ratatouille

My Robust Ratatouille served with cumin and paprika spiced barbecued chicken thighs and baby potatoes

While doing the regular grocery shop, I spotted a display of glossy, deep purple eggplants at the Norton Street Grocer in Leichhardt and my mind immediately turned to making ratatouille. This classically rustic French dish was a regular menu item in my cooking repertoire before I had children and was eagerly eaten by my friends and family members with crusty home made bread or golden polenta. 

Ratatouille incorporates several nightshade vegetables including tomatoes, red capsicums and eggplant. When combined, they result in a dish with a punchy and pleasant full flavour, perfect for grown ups or older children. 

However, I have found that ratatouille is not a dish that appeals to the tastebuds or tummies of young children, so please don’t feel irritated if your little ones don’t go past the initial spoonful. I remember as a child enjoying the flavour of the sauce smothered over bread, but finding the actual chunky part of the dish too heavy. Perhaps introduce your children to ratatouille in a similar way that I ate it as a child. Eventually, they too will look forward to sampling more than the sauce, especially when they can appreciate the aroma of simmering vegetables with hints of saffron and basil. My two eldest children now enjoy this dish as an accompaniment to barbecued spiced chicken and baby potatoes, which is how I served it this evening. 

This is my favourite version of ratatouille, developed over years of tastebud-based trial and error. Of course if you prefer more of a smoky flavour, then increase the quantity of eggplant or if you adore the sweetness of tomatoes by all means add a couple extra to your pot. 

My Robust Ratatouille to serve 6 people as an ample side dish or 4 as a main meal with crusty bread.

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic crushed
2 red capsicums  – remove the seeds and inner white membrane and chop into chunky  bite sized pieces. 
2 small or 1 large eggplant
2 medium zucchini – chop into thick, bite sized pieces. 
5 – 6 sweet tomatoes (either truss or Roma) – chop each one into eighths
1 teaspoon saffron threads
100 ml chicken stock
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 heaped cup of fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Thickly slice the eggplant, lay out on a tray and sprinkle with salt. Leave for an hour to remove any bitterness. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Chop up into chunky pieces. 

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a deep pot and over a low heat, sauté the onions, garlic, capsicums, eggplant and tomato for about 15 minutes until they are soft and fragrant. Stir regularly to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the pot. Cooking the eggplant in this way results in a creamy, rich and tasty sauce.

Add the zucchini and saffron and continue to sauté for another 5 – 7 minutes. 

Add the basil leaves, chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and cook over a gentle heat for 10 – 15 minutes until you have a rich, hearty and textured dish. Serve warm in deep bowls. 

Ratatouille tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have had time to infuse.