- Ratatouille, American-Style
BY DANA JACOBI FOR
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH
-
- Ratatouille is an unsurpassed
bit of culinary magic, perfectly timed for the height of summer's
harvest. This side dish transforms sun-ripened tomatoes, zucchini,
peppers and eggplant into a sparkling reminder of its native
Provence, France.
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- But classic ratatouille requires
more than the wave of a wand or a wooden spoon. Julia Child,
as she instructs in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, cooks
each vegetable separately to create this ultimate in Mediterranean
casseroles. Elizabeth David, the English writer who introduced
most Britons and adventurous American cooks back in the 1950s
to Mediterranean cooking, uses a simpler, one-pot approach but
simmers it slowly in oil. Lots of oil. Far more of it than even
olive oil enthusiasts would want in today's health-conscious
dishes.
-
- Ratatouille also raises a
different problem. Eggplant does not sit well with everyone.
Even people who do like it can find it challenging to prepare.
With frustrating unpredictability, it can taste bitter, have
too many annoying seeds, or a tough skin. And as it cooks, eggplant
also absorbs oil at an alarming rate.
-
- To keep kitchen time brief
and make a popular but lean ratatouille, I add an American Southwest
accent. This is not as heretical as it might seem. The tomatoes,
squash and peppers on which ratatouille is based are native to
the Americas, and the poblano pepper, tomatillos and corn that
I include add tangy but sweet, earthy undertones. This sunny
ratatouille is so robust you probably will not notice that the
eggplant has magically disappeared.
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-
- Southwestern Ratatouille
- 1 Tbsp. canola oil
- 1 medium red onion, cut in
thin crescents
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large yellow bell pepper,
seeded and cut in thin strips
- 1 medium poblano pepper, seeded
and cut in thin strips
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
or kernels of 1 fresh ear of corn
- 1 medium zucchini, quartered
lengthwise and cut crosswise in 1/2-inch slices
- 1 medium yellow summer squash,
quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise in 1/2-inch slices
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup tomato juice
- 2 medium tomatillos, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black
pepper, to taste
-
- Heat oil in deep skillet or
Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté
until translucent, about 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium
and cook until onion is soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.
-
- Add garlic, yellow bell and
poblano peppers. Sauté until peppers soften slightly,
about 4 minutes. Add corn, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes
and juice. Simmer until peppers are tender but still slightly
firm, about 8 minutes. Add tomatillos and cook until vegetables
are soft but still retain their shape, about 4 minutes. Season
to taste with salt and pepper.
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- Serve lukewarm or at room
temperature. This ratatouille tastes better the next day. It
keeps 5 days if stored tightly covered in the refrigerator.
-
- Makes 6 servings.
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- Per serving: 91 calories,
3 g. total fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 15 g. carbohydrate,
3 g. protein, 3 g. dietary fiber, 80 mg. sodium.
_______________________________________
Author:
"Something Different"
is written for the American Institute for Cancer Research by
Dana Jacobi, author of The Joy of Soy, and recipe creator for
AICR's book, Stopping Cancer Before It Starts.
AICR offers a Nutrition Hotline
(1-800-843-8114) 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday-Friday. This free
service allows you to ask a registered dietitian questions about
diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR is the only major cancer charity
focused exclusively on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer.
It provides a range of education programs that help Americans
learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports
innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities,
hospitals and research centers across the U.S. It has provided
more than $62 million in funding for research in diet, nutrition
and cancer. AICR's Web address is www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the
World Cancer Research Fund International. |
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