Name: Ratatouille
Ingredients: 3 medium eggplants, coarsely diced, salt pieces and let drain for 20 min then rinse; 3 small-medium zucchinis, coarsely diced; 2 medium onions, coarsely diced; 2-3 cups either diced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or 2 cans diced tomatoes; 4 bell peppers, coarsely diced; 1 c fresh basil, chopped; 1 tsp oregano; 1 tsp fennel; 1 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 tsp thyme; 4 cloves garlic, pressed; sea salt to taste; optional: cheese to melt on top; Harvest Oil of choice, I used a combination of garlic, basil and tuscan herb. Unflavored works too.

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Ratatouille

Author Becky's Mindful Kitchen

Ingredients

3 medium eggplants, coarsely diced, salt pieces and let drain for 20 min then rinse
3 small-medium zucchinis, coarsely diced
2 medium onions, coarsely diced
2-3 cups either diced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or 2 cans diced tomatoes
4 bell peppers, coarsely diced
1 c fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp fennel
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp thyme
4 cloves garlic, pressed
sea salt to taste
optional: cheese to melt on top
Harvest Oil of choice, I used a combination of garlic, basil and tuscan herb. Unflavored works too.

Instructions

In my opinion, the key to good ratatouille is to cook each vegetable separately in a good large cast iron pan. If you don't have a cast iron pan, a large skillet will of course work. But invest in cast iron. You won't regret it.
Have all vegetable prepped, spices out and ready to go. I start with the eggplant. Add a few T of oil and sauté eggplant with some salt until tender and cooked through. Remove and place as the bottom layer in a large baking dish. I then do the onions and garlic and dried herbs plus more oil if needed. Salt the onions as well and cook until slightly browned and tender. Remove onion and place on top of eggplants. Continue with peppers, then zucchini and finish with tomatoes and basil. Salt each vegetable as you cook it. Add fresh basil to the tomatoes. Optional: melt cheese on top in the oven before serving. This dish takes some time, but the simplicity of it makes it an instant classic. Because it is considered a peasant dish, there is no wrong way to make it, if you don't have bell peppers- use other peppers. You don't have to worry about the specific amounts of each vegetable- use what you have and enjoy the taste of fresh organic local produce!