Ratatouille

(Collaboration with Michael Chiarello) 

Ratatouille, pronounced rat-a-too-ee, just like the movie hehe, may sound sophisticated but it’s nothing more than a French vegetable stew made of late summer’s bounty of tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, peppers and eggplant. It’s simple and healthy – a great way to get your veggies!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced fresh wild or domestic mushrooms
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 yellow squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced leek, white only
• 4-5 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons low-salt tomato paste
• 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
• Fresh ground sea salt salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

·         Heat 11/2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot.

·         Sauté the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to turn golden.

·         Add the garlic and cook for another minute

·         Add the eggplant and cook for another 5 minutes. Add more oil if needed, until the eggplant is soft.

·         Add the pepper, zucchini and squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, until you’re starting to get some golden edges.

·         Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook until the mixture is thick, with any excess moisture cooked off.

·         Stir in the spinach, thyme and basil and cook until the spinach is wilted.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to…serve straight away and enjoy!