RATATOUILLE CAPONATE
Recipe inspired by Charlotte Gros ~ Marseille native, and adapted from Les Recettes Faciles by Françoise Bernard.
For best results, make ratatouille a day in advance; it is delicious served chilled or at room temperature. The key to success is having equal portions of all the vegetables, sautéing each of them separately, and using a good quality olive oil. This quintessentially Provencal dish often served as a first course, or as a side dish to grilled meats. The word caponate comes from Italian, meaning “with capers.”
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
3 Pounds Eggplant
3 Pounds Tomatoes
3 Pounds Zucchini
3 Peppers
2 Onions
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Cup extra-virgin olive oil
Bouquet Garni (sprig of parsley & thyme, bay leaf)
Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Cup nicoise olives, unpitted
1 Small jar of Italian capers, rinsed and drained
Directions:
Slice the eggplant into 2-inch cubes, place in a colander atop a plate and sprinkle eggplant generously with sea salt. Allow to degorge at least 30 minutes. Rinse, drain, and squeeze out excess water by rolling eggplant in paper towels or a dishtowel.
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Dip the tomatoes in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes until the skins crack; remove with a slotted spoon. Once cool, slip the skins off and quarter the tomatoes.
Peel the onions, cut them in half, then into ¼-inch slices. Chop the zucchini into 2-inch cubes. Slice the peppers in half, remove the seeds, and cut into 2-inch chunks.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Heat a large stockpot or dutch oven, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, and sauté the onions and garlic over medium heat, along with a pinch of salt. Cook until transluscent, 3-5 minutes, do not allow to brown; transfer to a large bowl. Repeat this process with the peppers, zucchini, and drained eggplant; sautéing each separately and adding to bowl. Lastly, sauté the tomatoes for 2-3 minutes, until some of the liquid has evaporated. Gently toss all ingredients together, along with herbs, olives and capers, and place in stockpot; cover and bake 1 hour. Remove lid and bake another 30 minutes. Stir gently and bake another 30 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the bouquet garni before serving.
If serving the same day, let it sit at least 30 minutes at room temperature before serving. If serving next day, allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate overnight, and bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.