Ratatouille

Now that it's Spring and the weather is warmer (thank goodness!) seeing beautiful veggies in the Market thought Ratatouille.  I love aubergine (eggplants) and couldn't resist the other day, so I got the ingredients for the dish.  Also, I had just purchased a beautiful Staub Cocotte (pot) that I just had to use!  And I love the color....

Ratatouille is easy to make and can be enjoyed anytime of the year.... I like to keep it simple with minimal ingredients.  I usually make Caponata which has capers in it, but today I did the French version.

So, here is what I did....

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 eggplant, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large tomato, cut up
extra virgin olive about 1/4 cup
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
bouquet garni, I use fresh thyme, a few sprigs and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
fresh flat leaf parsley

Method:

Take the eggplant and put into a colander, add salt and let it sit for several hours or overnight.  Just before cooking remove the eggplant from the colander and rinse with cold water and pat dry.

Preheat the Cocotte (pot) with olive oil on the bottom of the pan, add the onion, garlic,red pepper and eggplant, stir and coat with the olive oil.  Season with the salt & pepper, add the zucchini and bouquet garni.  Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When done, taste for seasoning and add freshly chopped flat leaf parsley.

You can serve this over white rice.

PUMPKIN SOUP

Today is a perfect day for soup, it's Spring but a little cool and cloudy outside with 

possible rain.  Since I had a butternut squash it was an easy decision for me. Very simple to make with only a few ingredients that are in almost everyone's pantry!

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons cumin (ground)

1.2 kg (2 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock (or whatever stock you want)

1 dollop of plain yoghurt, I use fage whole yoghurt

1 garlic clove

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

You will also need a stick blender

METHOD:

Cut up the onion, squash and garlic.  To a heavy bottom pan, add the olive oil, onion,  garlic  and cook for few minutes till golden.  Add the cumin and cook till aromatic.

Add the squash, stock and season with salt and pepper, let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes or until  the pumpkin is soft.  Set aside and taste, season and use a stick blender to blend until smooth.

Ladle the soup into bowls and put a dollop of yoghurt if you wish

It's easy, fast and really delicious