Ratatouille

The first time I've ever really even heard of Ratatouille was when I watched the Disney movie. Have you all seen it? Ratatouille is an adorable kids movie about a young rat who dreams of becoming a renowned French chef. If you haven't seen it you really should.

Then last April in my Intro to Culinary class we made ratatouille. It was my first experience eating it and I fell in love. It was delicious! I am a huge fan of vegetables so this should be no surprise to those of you who know me.

Ratatouille is a vegetable stew from the Provence region of France. It is made of eggplant, zucchini, tomato, onion, garlic and seasonings -- usually basil and thyme. The ingredients are cooked together until tender. Ratatouille can be served hot or cold as an appetizer or side dish. It is often accompanied by rice, potatoes, pasta or French bread. When I saw this crock pot recipe I just had to try it! I served it on top of rice noodles (it's the only pasta I had on hand), sprinkled it with Parmesan cheese, and it was delightful!



Ratatouille
Source: Make It Fast, Cook It Slow

1 large eggplant
1 zucchini
1 yellow summer squash (It looks like yellow zucchini)
1/2 yellow onion
1 yellow bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-oz.) can peeled whole tomatoes, drained
1 (15-oz.) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes and their juices
2 T. olive oil
1/2 c. water

Use a 6-quart cooker. Chop all the vegetables in bite-size chunks. I didn't peel anything, but you can if you'd like. Layer the vegetables in the slow cooker, and cover with seasonings, tomatoes, oil, and water. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Your meal is done when the vegetables reach the desired tenderness and the flavors have mingled. The vegetables will create more liquid on their own, but the finished result isn't overly soupy.