To the Dwindling Season

            The view of the sunflowers in late summer, their heads starting to droop with the weight of themselves, fills my heart with a little bit of ache. The sudden appearance of delicata squashes at the farm stand  – foretelling of colder times – had a similar effect last week. Both ignite an urgency to use as many summer vegetables as I can get my hands on. This ratatouille is an homage to the dwindling season and a testament to what a little bit of non-fussed over time can do.

 

Late Summer Ratatouille

From Cook’s Illustrated

 

            The staggered addition of the ingredients substitutes the need for pre-salting, like many ratatouille recipes call for. Make sure to have some crusty bread, toasted and rubbed with a raw garlic clove and drizzled with olive oil and salt, to serve along side.

 

            * Summer tomatoes are best but skin needs to be removed – cut an X in the bottom of the tomato and submerge in boiling water until the skin begins to peel, usually about 45 seconds. Remove from heat, let cool and peel completely.  If it’s not summer, a 32oz can of San Marzano tomatoes is  a fine substitution.

 

Ingredients

 

½ c plus 1 T olive oil

2 large white onions, halved and diced

8 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

 

salt and pepper

 

½ t herbes de Provence

¼ t red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

2 medium eggplants, cut into 1” pieces

 

4 large tomatoes (about 2 lb), skins and core removed, and roughly chopped *

 

2 medium zucchini or summer squash, cut into 1” pieces

1 red, orange or yellow pepper, seeded and cut into 1 “ pieces

 

2 T fresh basil, chopped

1 T sherry vinegar

 

Process

 

            Preheat oven to 400F.

 

            In a large Dutch oven or deep cast iron skillet, heat ½ c olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, 1 t salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

            Add herbs de Provence, pepper flakes, bay leaf, eggplant and peeled, cored tomatoes. Sprinkle with ½ t salt and stir to combine before transferring the dish to the oven. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.

 

            Remove pot from oven and mash the eggplant mixture with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until the mixture has a sauce-like consistency. Stir in zucchini, bell pepper, ¼ t salt and a few more cranks from the pepper mill. Return the dish to the oven and bake, covered this time, for another 45 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender and translucent.

 

            Remove pot from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Stir in vinegar and 1 T olive oil. Garnish with chopped basil.

 

            Serve with grilled garlic rubbed bread and lentils or a poached egg (or both!).

 

Yields: a side dish for 8

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: about an hour and a half, mostly unattended