Maryline Damour’s Ratatouille

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 3 to 4 tbsp olive oil
• A handful of fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dry thyme)
• Salt & red pepper flakes
• 2 medium zucchinis, cubed
• 1 red pepper, chopped (mild or hot, based on your preference)
• 1 medium eggplant, cubed
• 3 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (or a quart of cherry tomatoes)
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste (optional)
• 1 tsp low-sodium tamari sauce (optional)
• ⅓ cup vegetable stock or water
• Optional garnish: fresh basil leaves and balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. 1
   In a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot, sauté the diced onion in the olive oil for a few minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic, thyme leaves, a couple pinches of salt, and red pepper flakes to your taste. Cook for another couple of minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the onions are translucent.
2. 2
   Add the chopped zucchini and cook for around 3 minutes. Add with the chopped pepper, cooking for around 3 minutes. Then follow with the chopped eggplant and chopped tomatoes, cooking 3 minutes between each addition and adding a little salt to ensure each new vegetable is well-seasoned.
3. 3
   Once all the vegetables are simmering in the pot, add a bit of the vegetable stock and tomato sauce if using. Add just enough to create a bit of sauce around the vegetables. Ratatouille is a stew, it should not be a dry dish.
4. 4
   Taste the ratatouille and add more salt and red peppers flakes if needed. To add some earthy umami flavor, add a few splashes of low-sodium tamari if you wish. Add a bit more water or vegetable stock as needed.
5. 5
   The ratatouille is ready when the vegetables are cooked through but still hold their shape. As an optional garnish, stir in a few splashes of good, aged balsamic vinegar and fresh torn basil leaves right before serving.