RATATOUILLE

Ratatouille (pronounced RAT-ah-too-ee) is the Hot Flash Diet^TM recipe for September. It is perfect for using up all those vegetables from the farmer’s markets or your home garden. Although red bell pepper and onion both have “warm” thermal properties according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, summer squash and eggplants are “cool” and tomatoes are “cold” which balances the overall dish temperature to the “cool” side of “neutral.”

This is a country-style one-dish meal which could be made fancy by carefully slicing the vegetables, cooking each separately, and serving it as seen in the movie, Ratatouille.  In the interest of time, however, this is quickly put together like a stew.  The colors still look pretty, even though they are not presented in alternating color swirls as in the movie.  The flavor improves with time, especially by the next day if made ahead or if there are leftovers.  Use really good olive oil for this recipe.

2 TBSP olive oil

1 cup of coarsely chopped onion

1 red bell pepper, washed, cored, and chopped into ¾ inch or 2 cm pieces

2 more TBSP olive oil, or more if needed

1 to 2 zucchinis, quartered and sliced ½ inch or 1.25 cm thick

1 yellow squash, quartered and sliced ½ inch or 1.25 cm thick

1 small Italian eggplant or 1 large Asian eggplant, peeled and chopped into ½ inch or 1.25 cm cubes

3 to 4 tomatoes, peeled, chopped into ½ to ¾ inch dice (~1.5 cm) or 28 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped to yield ¾ to 1 tsp of garlic

1 TBSP fresh chopped marjoram or 1 tsp dried

1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried

10 to 12 large black olives or 24 Niçoise olives, pitted and cut into half (opt.)

Up to ½ tsp sea salt (use less with added olives or if served with cheese)

¼ tsp ground pink peppercorns or black pepper(“hot,” so opt.)

Other herbs in smaller amounts if you have them on hand, like oregano, basil, parsley, or herbes de Provence (opt.)

Use a dish that can go from stovetop to oven.  Heat the oil over medium heat and add the chopped onions and red bell pepper pieces.  Once they start to soften a bit, add more oil and the zucchini and yellow squash slices with another few sprinkles of salt and stir occasionally until they soften a bit.  Once squash is softened, throw in the eggplant cubes and a few sprinkles of salt, and stir frequently until they start sweating and get softer. 

Add the diced tomatoes, garlic, and olives.  Season with herbs, salt and pepper.  Stir until heated throughout. You can preheat the oven while doing this last step.

Cover, and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until all the vegetables are soft.  You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate since the flavors will blend and improve overnight  This dish can be served hot, warm, or chilled as a main or side dish.  Serve with bread, rice, or polenta.  Topping with some feta chunks or bits of goat cheese (both support Yin) adds protein as well as more flavor.  Serves 6 to 8.