Here’s another installment of the Julia Child 100th birthday celebration cookalong! I’m a relative late-comer to Ratatouille, the featured dish for this week. And I’ve never even seen the movie, in case you were wondering. None of that impacts how much I love the dish now. According to Julia, it’s an eggplant casserole. Not to be argumentative, but really, it’s so much more than that. Packed with zucchini, peppers, onions, and tomatoes as well as eggplant, it’s a versatile dish that really epitomizes summer. Use more of what you love, less of what you only like. Serve it with crusty bread, or my favorite way: on crusty bread. In fact, Celine did a sandwich version in our soon-to-be-released Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day!
Personally, I’d like more fresh herbs in the mixture, but the recipe makes the most of the vegetables and brings out their unique flavors as well as encouraging them to meld together. I’d suggest good quality olive oil in this recipe. I happen to have some Hojibianco from a trip to Asheville that I love. It’s pricy, but it’s adds an herbal/tomato nuance to dishes. A little bit goes a long way, too.
Ratatouille, like Julia Child, is a classic. I’m probably going to eat my weight in it this summer.. happily. I may even break down and watch the movie, but probably not. I’m more likely to be eating this as a late dinner, when it’s cooled down, on the back deck with glass of wine.
7 Comments
That sandwich! Looking forward to the new book.
Ratatouille is one of my absolute favorite summer dishes. I agree with using as nice an olive oil as you can afford. My own garden should support at least a couple of batches this summer. So excited!!
that looks fabulous! i love ratatouille in the summer! yum!
i have never made or eaten ratatouille, but this sandwich makes it looks so good that i may have to soon!
Yum!! How summery!! And you really should watch the movie. It’s sort of adorbs, especially from a blogger’s perspective.
I think you should start the whole “eating your weight” by eating some yummy ratatouille WHILE watching the movie:)
Panda, thank you! It’s out *today* but just through the publisher. I’ll keep you posted when it hits Powell’s!
Celia, me, too. Such a great dish, made better by good olive oil.
GFHT, yay for summer vegetables!
awesomeveganrad, it’s super easy. You should give it a try.
Bianca…between you and Connie… it sounds like the movie is in my future.
Thanks all!