Ratatouille With Ground Beef and Coconut Rice

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1 hr 15 minutes

This lovely Provencal-inspired Classic French Ratatouille has all the summer veggie goodness going on with eggplant, zucchini, xanthous squash and sweet bell peppers simmered to perfection in a lively tomato plant sauce.

Information technology's THE dish to make with your summer vegetable garden abundance, later on a trip to the farmer's market or for a quick culinary escape to the south of France any fourth dimension of year!

Why This Recipe is a Keeper:

If always in that location was a summer comfort food, Archetype French Ratatouille has got to be it.  It's a dish I eagerly look forward to making every summer when our garden goes into high gear.  Ratatouille is a not bad way to use up garden produce and it tastes meliorate the next solar day!

In other versions, the vegetables are sautéed, browned or roasted on baking sheets in stages, combined and so stewed in a pan in the oven or on the stovetop.

I adopt the stovetop method and just briefly simmer the stew on the stovetop because the vegetables retain more of their texture.

Ratatouille requires some knife work, but all the vegetables are cut into ½-inch or 1-inch pieces which goes much faster than chopping or cutting them into fine dice.

Another reason Ratatouille rocks is… it'southward and so versatile! Enjoy it over brown rice, quinoa, couscous or with crusty, toasted or grilled French staff of life. It can be served hot, room temperature or even cold.

What is Ratatouille?

Ratatouille is a rustic southern French vegetable stew made with eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash, onions, and tomatoes.  In some versions, the vegetables are combined and cooked together for a long period of fourth dimension until they practically melt.

How to Make Classic French Ratatouille:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here'south everything y'all'll need to make this recipe along with how to prep. See the ratatouille recipe carte du jour below for the exact quantities.

Ingredient Notes:

• Eggplant: Eggplant is one of the main ingredients in Classic French Ratatouille. It's commonly believed that eggplant must always be salted before cooking to depict out the bitterness. Withal, eggplant characteristically has a mild but pleasing bitterness so information technology's a personal preference. Information technology'south only when an eggplant gets large and seedy that it develops a pronounced biting flavor. For this dish, I do salt the eggplant because it won't absorb as much oil when cooked. Extracting liquid from the eggplant makes it less spongy, resulting in less oil assimilation. Later on draining and before cooking, pat dry with newspaper towels to remove the excess moisture and salt.
• Bell Peppers: Use whatever sugariness bell pepper or combination:  Red, Yellowish or Orange.
• Dry White Wine:  E'er utilize a vino y'all would enjoy drinking. Booze Substitute: If yous don't wish to use alcohol, use vegetable broth or even water. Add together i-2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar.
• Crushed Tomatoes: Use canned crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes that you crush yourself or a fresh tomato sauce such as my Parma-Style Tomato Sauce.
• Seasonings: Even though Ratatouille is all nearly summertime freshness, I utilise dried oregano considering the season is full-bodied and is released as the stew simmers.  Fresh herbs are always best added about the end of the cooking process just I didn't want fresh oregano and fresh basil competing with one another.

Footstep-By-Pace Instructions:

• Gather and measure all the ingredients.  The French phone call this mise en place or "everything in its identify" which refers to the gear up-upwardly before cooking.
• Cube the eggplant and identify it in a colander.  Give information technology a generous salting with a teaspoon or so of salt.

• Chop the remaining vegetables while the eggplant drains.

• Pat the eggplant dry with a paper towel.  Heat some of the olive oil in a Dutch oven and brown the eggplant over medium-high heat.  Transfer it to a bowl.

• Refresh the oil if needed then add together the zucchini and yellow squash.  Cook until it begins to brown and soften a bit.  Transfer to the bowl with the eggplant.

• Refresh the oil again if needed.  Toss in the onion and cook until it begins to soften then add the bell peppers.  Melt that a bit until it softens upwards then add the garlic and give it a stir until it's fragrant.
• Add the white wine, bring to a boil and let that reduce one-two minutes.

• Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leafage, dried oregano and crushed cerise pepper flakes.

• Return the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash to the pot and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

• Flavour with table salt and pepper and toss in the fresh basil.
• Delish!
• Brand Alee:  Brand every bit directed to the point of adding the fresh basil.  Cool, then refrigerate for 1-two days for all-time quality.  (The ratatouille will keep in the refrigerator for four-v days.)  When needed, add together ½ cup water, stir and gently reheat over medium-low heat.  Add the fresh basil when ready to serve.

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• The eggplant needs approximately 20-30 minutes to bleed in the colander then do that earlier doing any other chopping.  That amount of time gives y'all fourth dimension to prep the remaining vegetables.
• Afterwards the summer squash, eggplant and zucchini are browned, remove it as quickly as possible from the Dutch oven.  If left to sit down in the oil even for one-half a infinitesimal, it will absorb oil.
• Rub dried herbs such as the oregano in this dish between your fingers as you sprinkle it into the pot.  This helps to "wake upwardly" the flavor of dried herbs and spices.

Often Asked Questions:

Is Ratatouille really a peasant dish?

Traditionally it was considered a peasant dish because it was fabricated with leftover vegetables, sometimes even vegetable scraps and the "rough cut" vegetable preparation style. Information technology could be eaten with other depression-cost items like rice, pasta or bread.

What is the difference between ratatouille and caponata?

Ratatouille is a dish from the Provence region of France made with eggplant, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, zucchini, garlic and herbs simmered in olive oil.  Caponata has Sicilian roots and is made with eggplant, onions, tomatoes, anchovies, olives, pine nuts, capers, and vinegar, all cooked together in olive oil often containing something sweet similar raisins or a touch of sugar.

Can I utilize a xanthous onion instead of a red onion?

Yes, absolutely.  I like to use red onion because it adds to the visual appeal and it's milder and sweeter than yellow onion assuasive the frail flavor of the eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and yellowish squash to shine through.

Tin I make Ratatouille alee of time?

Classic French Ratatouille is a dandy make-ahead dish because information technology improves when it sits.  Make as directed to the point of adding the fresh basil.  Cool, then refrigerate for 1-ii days for best quality.  When needed, add ½ cup h2o, stir and gently reheat over medium-depression estrus.  Add the fresh basil when fix to serve.

What meat goes with ratatouille?

Almost any! If y'all wish to serve this every bit a side dish, I would suggest merely prepared roasted or grilled craven, fish beef or pork.

Brand information technology a meal with:

• Zucchini Ricotta Fritters
• White Bean Artichoke Spread with Rosemary Body of water Table salt Flatbread Fries
• Cream of Celery Leaf and Scallion Soup
• Foam of Asparagus and Leek Soup with Curry
• Chocolate Avocado Mousse

More than vegetarian recipes you'll love!

• Moroccan-Spiced Caponata

• Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Galette

• Provencal Vegetable and Goat Cheese Tart

• Spicy Roasted Vegetable and Black Bean Ragout with Polenta

Go all my vegetarian and vegan recipes at: Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes – From A Chef's Kitchen

Archetype French Ratatouille

This lovely Provencal-inspired Classic French Ratatouille has all the summer veggie goodness going on with eggplant, zucchini, xanthous squash and sweet bell peppers simmered to perfection in a lively tomato sauce. It's THE dish to make with your summer vegetable garden abundance, subsequently a trip to the farmer'due south market place or for a quick culinary escape to the south of France whatsoever time of year!

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Prep Fourth dimension 30 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Full Fourth dimension i hr 15 mins

Course Vegetarian / Vegan Entrees

Cuisine French

Servings 4

Calories 249 kcal

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• ▢ 1 medium eggplant - cut into i-inch cubes
• ▢ ane teaspoon salt - plus more for seasoning
• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil - or as needed, divided
• ▢ 1 medium red onion - cutting into ½-inch pieces
• ▢ 2 cerise or yellow bell peppers - or a combination, cut into ½-inch pieces
• ▢ two medium zucchini - cutting into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 2 medium yellowish squash - cutting into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 3 big plum tomatoes - seeded and coarsely chopped
• ▢ four cloves garlic - minced
• ▢ ½ loving cup dry white wine
• ▢ 1 tin (15-ounce) crushed tomatoes
• ▢ 1 bay leafage
• ▢ i heaping teaspoon stale oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• ▢ ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil

• Place eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with common salt and let drain in the sink or over a basin while prepping the remaining vegetables.

• Pat the eggplant dry with a paper towel.

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high oestrus in a Dutch oven. Add together the eggplant, reduce heat to medium and cook 3-4 minutes or until beginning to soften and is lightly browned. Transfer to a basin.

• Refresh oil as needed. Add zucchini and yellow squash and melt iii-4 minutes or until get-go to soften and is lightly browned. Transfer to the bowl with the eggplant.

• Refresh oil if needed. Add the onion and cook 4-five minutes or until the onions brainstorm to soften, adjusting the estrus equally necessary so the onions don't burn down.

• Add together the cherry-red bell peppers and continue cooking another three-4 minutes or until kickoff to soften.

• Add chopped tomatoes and garlic and cook i-2 minutes.

• Add wine, bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes.

• Add crushed tomatoes, bay foliage, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes.

• Return eggplant, zucchini and xanthous squash to the pot, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leafage. Stir in basil.

Rub the dried herbs between your fingers as y'all sprinkle them in to "awaken" the flavor.

Make Ahead:  Make as directed to the bespeak of adding the fresh basil.  Absurd, then refrigerate for 1-2 days for all-time quality.  (The ratatouille will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.)  When needed, add together ½ cup water, stir and gently reheat over medium-low heat.  Add the fresh basil when set to serve.

FREEZER-FRIENDLY:  Make as directed, absurd and store in the freezer in an airtight container or in individual containers for two-iii months.  Thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Calories: 249 kcal | Carbohydrates: 23 g | Poly peptide: 5 yard | Fat: xv g | Saturated Fatty: ii g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fatty: ten g | Sodium: 606 mg | Potassium: 1098 mg | Fiber: viii chiliad | Sugar: xiv 1000 | Vitamin A: 2829 IU | Vitamin C: 122 mg | Calcium: 72 mg | Iron: 2 mg

These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please exercise your own research with the products you're using if yous have a serious wellness upshot or are following a specific nutrition.

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Source: https://www.fromachefskitchen.com/ratatouille/

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