fishNZ.info - Ratatouille

Long ago, before the first corner shops, farmers didn't waste anything from their farms. They bartered with their neighbours, and thus established a value for every item e.g. 1 chicken = 3 kg of potatoes

This month let's talk about a well known, worldwide dish - a perfect example of combining some of Earth' bounty.
Originaly from the south east of France, it has been prepared around the world according to the fashion of the chefs in each country.
The principal is simple. To mix everything and let it cook very slowly as long as possible-without spoiling. Even better is to cook it the day before.

Ingredients:

1kg tomatoes: -Prefereably "roma", as the flesh is firmer.
1kg zucchini or courgette: thin as big ones are full of seeds.
3 big pieces eggplants: shiny as it is a sign of freshness
4 capsicums: 2 red, 2 green or 2 yellow for multi-colour.
4 onions:
3 doz black olives:
6 bay leaves:
6 cloves garlic:
fresh herbs : parsley,basil,thyme ,rosemary.
salt and cracked pepper to taste.
oil canola; for cooking
6 tsp olive oil:

Wash tomatoes ,zucchinis , eggplants,capsicums. Remove seeds from capsicums.Peel onions.

In a pot with a heavy base, pour 8 tsp of canola oil and heat.
Cook the prepared ingredients separately for 6 minutes. Reverse to one side.

Then with the same pot, pour 6 tsp of olive oil and reduce the heat. Put into the pot all cooked ingredients then add black olives, bay leaves, fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
Add in 3/5 cups of cold water. Cover.
Cook at the lowest temperature your element will allow, for 45/55 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes.

Now that the ratatouille is ready it can be served as a side dish, with

any white meat such as turkey or chicken
any grilled meat
fish like tuna steack,marlin steak, and kingfish.

If you wish to serve it as a main course, I would add some diced bacon.

Finally try it as a cold entree, on a bed of lettuce, with a drop of lemon, and a couple of boiled eggs on the side.

To drink with this delicious dish?

Once again selecting the wine has difficult, due to wide range now available in New Zealand.
We finaly voted for the "pinot gris sur lie 2001" from Chard Farm. A stylish wine from the cool climate of central Otago. Enjoy it but in moderation.

Before I leave you until next time, please make a note in your diary that the Beaujolais Nouveau will be on the shelves at the begining of November. If you plan to stay with us during this time, you can be sure that we will have it for you to taste.