Ratatouille
Ratatouille
About this Recipe
My mother used to make this style of ratatouille when I was growing up in the south of France. She would make a big batch early on in the week, and it would taste better and better as we ate it over the next few days. It is very simple, but incredibly hearty and great with almost anything — rice, on top of pasta, vegetables, chicken, fish. This recipe is not exactly the same as my mother used to make as I've made some tweaks of my own, inspired from all of my travels through the years. We actually serve it at our restaurant in Jakarta (Vong Kitchen ) with a piece of salmon, which has been a signature dish on our menu since opening.
The Benefits
This colorful dish is brimming with antioxidants, nutrients, and fiber! Bell peppers are full of antioxidants like Vitamin C, quercetin, lutein and luteolin. Tomatoes contain the powerful bioactive lycopene that can help prevent damage to DNA and offers protection against some cancers and heart disease. Fennel and red onions are rich in nutrients such as quercetin which helps our body activate detoxification pathways. Additionally, the olive oil and miso in the dressing contribute added nutrients such as probiotics and healthy fats that help promote heart and brain health.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
- 1 cup (120 g) finely diced red onion
- 3 Tbsp (20 g) minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp (36 g) minced lemongrass (with outer leaves removed)
- 1 tsp minced red Thai chile
- 1/2 cup (60 g) finely diced fennel
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (60 g) finely diced red bell peppers (with seeds removed)
- 1 cup (120 g) finely diced zucchini (with seeds removed)
- 2 cups (480 ml) pureed canned tomatoes (passed through a food mill)
- 2 Tbsp (16 g) shaved palm sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) lime juice
- 2 tsp light miso
Directions
-
Step 1
Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water and set aside. -
Step 2
Combine the olive oil and red onion in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, lemongrass, Thai chile, and fennel and cook for 1 minute. Then, add 1/2 tsp salt or to taste, red pepper, and zucchini and cook for an additional minute. -
Step 3
Add the tomatoes, palm sugar, lime juice, and miso. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 2 minutes. The vegetables should be al dente. Remove from the heat and transfer to a separate bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Serve with rice or other vegetables. It will keep, stored in a covered container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Explore Recipe Ingredients
About the author
Cédric Vongerichten
The Bangkok-born chef is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, and co founded Vong Kitchen, a New York–style grill, in Jakarta’s bustling business district.