When I first arrived in Paris three years ago, the movie “Ratatouille” was playing, and Xavier and I went to go see it one weekend at one of the theatres on the Champs-Elysees, just a few blocks away. This was way before I’d figured out that I had this crazy ol’ Cowgirl Chef alter ego rumbling around inside of me, but I instantly fell in love with this movie, and especially Remy, the rat who loved to cook.
Not long after we saw “Ratatouille,” as a surprise, Xavier got me a coffee mug with Remy popping out of it, and I’ve had my morning coffee out of this same mug every day since (Do y’all do that – have a special mug that you drink your coffee out of?). Even when things aren’t going so well, that silly mug makes me smile.
It’s the little things, right?
The other day, I was making a roast chicken for dinner, and thought, hmmm, roast. Roasted Ratatouille. Because everything’s better roasted, I think.
So I separately roasted all of the veggies, mixed them up together in a pot – and voila! – I had ratatouille. What’s nice about this is unlike regular ratatouille, where you cook everything together in a pot until it’s done, roasting means the veggies won’t be mushy.
Who wants soggy pants vegetables when you can have crispy critters?
Quick, easy, and – bonus – cheap (!) to make, this works as a side to just about anything, or as a light lunch or dinner with a spoonful of Greek yogurt, mixed up with some pasta and mozzarella, or thrown into a quiche or omelette.
Would be super-nice made on a grill (as most things would), but I know that y’all are tired of hearing me talk about the Paris grill gestapo, so I won’t go into that.
Roasted Ratatouille
INGREDIENTS
1 large eggplant, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds, then quartered
1 large red bell pepper, sliced in 1-inch pieces
1 large green bell pepper, sliced in 1-inch pieces
3 medium zucchini, sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small yellow onion, sliced in 1/2-inch chunks
1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
sea salt
WHAT YOU DO
Preheat oven to Broil.
1. Spread eggplant on one cookie sheet, and red bell pepper, onion and garlic on another (the eggplant will cook more quickly than the others). Put the zucchini on a separate cookie sheet, too.
2. Lightly drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper everything but the eggplant (it’s so sponge-like, I’d rather it not soak up any oil).
3. Working in batches if you have to (which I do, because my oven is so small), roast the veggies, and then put them in a large, heavy saucepan.
4. Add the tomatoes and spices, and cook just until warmed through, so the veggies don’t get mushy.
