Vegetable Stew - Ratatouille | Provencal French Recipes Guide

I often use Vegetable Stew in this page as the local name Ratatouille has no real translation in English.

The name Ratatouille became famous right after the release of the blockbuster produced by Pixar and distributed by Walt Disney in 2007.

Remy, a rat who dreams of becoming a chef and tries to achieve his goal by forming an alliance with a Parisian restaurant's garbage boy.

At least the use of the name of this dish in this movie has something to do with France and our cuisine!

But in fact, this name is used for centuries for a vegetable stew, a delicious vegetarian dish from my hometown Nice on the French Rivieta - Cote d'Azur.

This dish is known all over France and also abroad by the experts of the French Cuisne!

If you didnt' know it now you will as I share here My prefered recipe for the ratatouille.

In fact what it is:

Ratatouille (pronounced rah-tah-too-ee) comes from the verb "touiller", which means "to toss (food)."

The full name of this dish, Ratatouille Niçoise, refers to its origin in Nice and initially was made by stewing together zucchinis, capsicums, eggplants, onions, garlic and tomatoes,a vegetable stew in fact. .

Today, it is also made with eggplant and a blend of seasonings, then roasted in olive oil.

You can eat this vegetable stew as a side dish or as a meal, usually with rice or pasta and bread.

Sprinkle it with cheese (parmesan is my choice here!) if you wish.

A ratatouille with an omelette is delicious too!

I like it also with different meats, poultry and fish.

Above are definitely not the original recipes, but these variations very good!

It is sold also frozen in supermarkets and then heated in a skillet over low heat.

The ice from the mixture forms a tasty sauce as the vegetables are cooked.

But please, make your own with fresh vegetables, it is so easy!

Ratatouille or vegetable stew, aside from being its own dish, can also be used as a savory crepe filling.

It is not at all heavy and is very versatile.

I use it to make stews and as a topping on chicken.

You can easily stir in your own vegetables, too: broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach are my top choices.

It depends also what you have available in your place.

Luckily, this vegetable stew is easy to make and the ingredients needed for the recipe can be found in most parts of the world.

When cooked fresh, it is usually prepared in one of two ways:

Recipe 1 - You can cook everything separately and then mix it all together when all the ingredients are thoroughly cooked.

Recipe 2 - You can add in the tomatoes when all the other vegetables are beginning to soften.

Either way, it is pretty much fool-proof provided nothing burns and each vegetable cooks evenly, especially the eggplant.

Ratatouille is essentally a vegetable stew luxuriously rich, smooth, and flavourful.

In my recipe, vegetables are first browned, then roasted, then cooked in a tomato sauce.

Do you remember how in the movie of the same name the rat fancied up the dish?

Serve it hot or cold.

As stated above , it can be prepared fairly quickly by cooking everything together at the same time, but that needs to be done in the correct sequence to not miss out the art and the flavour of the dish.

On the French Riviera to make this dish nd to follow the original recipe we use: eggplant, zucchinis, capsicums, tomatoes and sometimes a potato or two and NO butter but olive oil plus herbs; THAT'S IT.

Many people claim that it is the quintessential Provençal dish, I do agree with that!

This dish really benefits from being made the day before you wish to serve it (same rule apply for all kind of stew, with or without meat).

This vegetable stew can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or so and it can be frozen without issue.

The recipe below is from my Grandmother, the one I also use.

Cooking Pot - I use a large pressure cooker, without the pressure.

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Ingredients to make an original and tasty Ratatouille

Serves 4 persons

• 2 eggplants.


• 2 zucchini.


• 3 tomatoes.


• 1 green capsicum.


• 2 cloves garlic.


• 1 onion.


• olive oil.


• 1 bunch mixed herbs (Herbes de Provence).


• salt.


• pepper to taste.
  

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How to

• Wash the eggplants, tomatoes, and zucchinis and cut into thick slices without peeling them.


• Wash and slice the green capsicum into strips, removing seeds and pith.


• Sauté all the vegetables with garlic and sliced onion in the olive oil beginning with the eggplant followed by the zucchini, capsicums and finally the tomatoes.


• Add salt and pepper, the mixed herbs and cook, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes.


• Serve hot or cold.

Easy, isn't it? And soooo yummy!!!

Are you interested in learning more about French food and culture?

You will find lots of easy Provencal French Recipes and fun food facts here in this guide.

I love to share with you my love of simple good food!

Don't forget to enjoy your food today!

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MaryJose's Ratatouille Recipe Video