The Joy of Summer Vegetables

The joy of Summer

Vegetables

Jayni Carey Packs Flavor into this Classic French Dish

by Jayni

Carey

photography by Trenton

Bush

Spring showers, combined with sunshine and increasingly warm weather, pushes the season’s vegetables to their peak through the summer months. These fresh jewels from the garden display brilliant colors, signaling that their flavors are at their most intense. Summer vegetables make it easy for any cook to put a stunning meal on the table.

For those of us who have a backyard or pot garden, fresh vegetables are just outside the backdoor. No green thumb? Don’t fret, the local farmers’ market is the place to be on Saturday morning to procure some of the season’s best. Your neighborhood co-op, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs and local vegetable delivery services also provide an easy way to enjoy what is fresh and local.

Good cooks dream of summer vegetables. I dream of ratatouille – and I don’t mean the movie. Ratatouille is the famous vegetable dish of Provence and Southern France. I first learned how to prepare it from the French mother of

a close friend and, when traveling in France, I never pass up an opportunity to sample someone else’s version.

Ratatouille is described as a Provençal stewed vegetable dish, but it is so much more than that. Certain vegetables must make up this classic fusion: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, red pepper, onion, garlic and herbs. The most important part of the preparation is to cook each vegetable separately to intensify their unique flavors. The vegetables are then combined or layered with fresh herbs in a Dutch oven or casserole and slowly simmered on the cooktop or baked in the oven.

In my version of ratatouille, I brown the vegetables in a skillet or on the grill, then stack them in a baking dish with fresh herbs and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. Next, I cover the top with halved tomatoes and splash them with olive oil. Place this enticing mélange in a hot oven until the tomatoes are charred and all vegetables are tender and caramelized.

Serve ratatouille warm or room temperature as a side to meat or fish, or pair it with a grain or pasta dish. If salad is your thing, ratatouille is delicious served chilled on a bed of fresh greens. I make extra and freeze it to enjoy a taste of summer during the winter months. Though the recipe is a bit long, it is easy to make. And I promise, it will be the best vegetable dish you have ever eaten.

Stacked Ratatouille

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, 1 to 1¼ pounds, sliced into ¾-inch rounds • olive oil (for browning vegetables) • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced into half-rounds • 3 to 4 peeled garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers • 1 medium zucchini, 8 to 10 ounces, sliced ¼-inch thick on the diagonal • 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon thyme, chopped • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional) • 2 or 3 large red bell peppers, roasted and peeled, or roasted red peppers from a jar, sliced in half • 5 to 6 medium tomatoes, halved • sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

Sprinkle the eggplant slices lightly with sea salt on both sides and place them on paper towels to drain. After about 20 minutes, pat the slices dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. While the eggplant drains, cook the onion and garlic.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic slivers during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a plate.

Brush or toss the zucchini slices with olive oil and brown them quickly in the same skillet over medium-high heat, 1 to 2 minutes each side. Transfer the zucchini to a separate plate. Repeat with the drained eggplant slices. If needed, add more olive oil to the skillet during browning. (Alternatively, the vegetables can be browned on a grill sheet on a hot gas or charcoal grill.)

Combine the chopped herbs in a small bowl. Measure the parmesan cheese, if using, and place in another small bowl. Prepare the peppers and tomatoes as directed.

To assemble: Choose a baking dish just large enough to hold the eggplant slices in a single layer. Oil lightly before adding the eggplant. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread the onion and garlic mixture over the eggplant slices, sprinkle with half of the chopped herbs and half of the grated parmesan cheese (if using). Next, cover the mixture with roasted red pepper slices, then zucchini slices, and again season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining herbs and cheese. Place the tomato halves cut-side down on top, using enough to completely cover the vegetables. Splash the tomatoes with olive oil.

Bake uncovered in a 400-degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tomatoes are slightly charred and wrinkled and the other vegetables are tender and caramelized. Serve warm or chilled. Makes 8 servings.

Optional: 1 tablespoon dried Herbes de Provence may be substituted for the fresh herbs.