Image Up Advertising & Design

FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | SEPTEMBER 2020 17 INGREDIENTS • About ½ Cup olive oil, divided • 1 ¼ pounds eggplant skin on, ends cut off and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups) • 1 ¼ pounds zucchini skin on, ends cut off and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups) • 2 -3 brown onions (12 ounces) cut into 1-inch cubes • 1-pound green bell peppers (2-3) seeded, washed and cut into 1-inch squares • 5-6 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tablespoon) • 1-pound (4-5) ripe tomatoes cut into 1-inch cubes • ¼ Cup water or red wine • 2 teaspoons salt • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) • ½ Cup loosely packed basil leaves, thinly sliced • Heat 4 Tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering add the eggplant. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. • Heat 2 more Tablespoons of olive oil in the pan. Add the zucchini, sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the eggplant. • Heat 3 more Tablespoons of the olive oil and cook the onions and peppers together, stirring occasionally, for about 6 to 8 minutes, until softened and just beginning to brown. Reduce heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring. Add the tomatoes, wine or water, salt and pepper, and the reserved eggplant and zucchini, stir gently to mix. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for I hour, stirring occasionally. • Remove from heat. Let the Ratatouille rest for 20 minutes. Stir in the basil leaves and serve with slices of a crusty bread. Ratate Ratate By Irene Welker Ratatouille is a French vegetable stew that originated in Provence. This recipe is from Jacques Pepin. I like that the vegetables are sautéed individually before being stewed because they keep their shape and texture. Some cooks add everything at once and simmer the mixture for as long as two hours. A shorter cooking time will leave the vegetables in larger more distinct pieces; longer cooking times will break the vegetables down into a silky stew. The dish can be served hot or at room temperature. It keeps in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for several months. Serves 6. DIRECTIONS

• Cover