Several years ago when I attempted to make ratatouille, it turned out to be a marvelous failure. What I ended up with was a thin veggie broth with eggplant submarines. I had consequently given up on making ratatouille until one of our French profs gave us a little taste test of her recipe earlier in the year. Delicious! And, if I’m honest, I’m not a huge fan of eggplant or zucchini. Kristel’s ratatouille, however, has become a staple in our diet. I love making use of the ingredients I find most plentiful in our grocery stores: zucchini and tomatoes. I’m still searching for more ways to use zucchini but Kristel’s ratatouille suffices for the time being. Merci, Kristel !

Kristel’s Ratatouille Recipe

6-8 servings. Preparation: 10 min. Ready to eat in 1 hr.

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 eggplant (aubergine), peeled and chopped in small pieces
2 zucchini (courgette), peeled and chopped in small pieces
2-4 tomatoes, diced
Herbes de Provence (thyme, rosemary, etc. — you probably already have the ensemble in your cupboard)
salt & pepper
olive oil
glass of water

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil and add the onion
2. Let onions go translucent, then add zucchini and eggplant
3. Let veggies soften, then add tomatoes
4. Season generously with herbes de Provence and salt and pepper to taste
5. Add one glass of water
6. Let simmer 1 hr
7. Serve hot on rice with fish, or solo with crusty bread