Ratatouille

*FULLY READ THIS RECIPE BEFORE COOKING*

Serves 4
Ingredients
Eggplant-2 c. medium dice Fresh Thyme- 2 tsp.- chopped*
Zucchini- 2 c. medium dice Fresh Rosemary- 1 tsp. chopped*
Bell Peppers- ½ c. medium dice Fresh Basil- ½ c. sliced*
Onions- 1 c. medium dice Fresh Parsley- 1.4 c. sliced*
Garlic- 2 Tbsp. minced S&P- as needed
EVO- 4 Tbsp. Water- if needed
Bay Leaves- 2 ea.
Smoked Paprika- 2 tsp.
Fennel Seed- 2 tsp.
Tomatoes- 1 pint- split
Red Wine- ½ c.- Syrah, Grenache or Pinot Noir
Method
1. Place a large pot on your stove top (approx. 4 qt. Sized). Turn heat
onto high. Once the pot is hot. Add 3 Tbsp. of EVO to the pot. Add
the onions and peppers to the pot. Season the vegetables with some
s&p. Mix the vegetables. Place a tight fitting lid on the pot. Turn
the heat down to medium and cook the vegetables for 4 minutes or
until they start to soften.
2. Remove the lid from the pot. When you remove the lid let the
moisture on the lid go back into the pot. Add the garlic, bay leaves,
fennel seed, smoked paprika and egg plant to the pot. Season the
vegetables with s&p. Mix the vegetables. Place the lid back on the
pot and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the lid from the pot. When you remove the lid let the
moisture on the lid go back into the pot. Add the tomatoes and red
wine to the pot. Season with s&p. Mix the vegetables. Cook the
vegetables for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini to the pot. Season the
vegetables lightly with s&p. Mix the vegetables. Cook the
vegetables for 3 minutes more.
4. Taste the vegetables. Does it need anything? Does it need s&p? Does
it need a little bit of moisture? If so add several Tbsp. of water.
 Taste.
5. Add all of the herbs to the pot of vegetables and the remaining
EVO. Mix. Taste. This is your dish. If this dish needs something
more to agree with your palate then add it. No one can ever make
this dish better then you. Recipes are a suggested guide line. Serve
your creation proudly!
* This dish can be served over pasta. Used as a topping on rice. It can be turned into a
soup by adding a stock of your choice. It can be used as a stuffing for mushrooms or
placed on top of a piece of baked fish.
* A note on cutting rosemary. Remove the needles from the stem. Gather the needles into
a tight pile that you can hold securely on the cutting board. Slice the rosemary as small as
you can just once. The more you cut rosemary it will get bitter and darken*
* A note on cutting delicate herbs. Remove the leaves from the main stem. Pile the leaves
on top of each other evenly. Take the tip of your knife and place it on your cutting board.
Pull the knife towards you and slide the knife through the herbs. When you slice the herbs
in a backwards motion you won't bruise the herbs. The herbal flavor will be brighter and
the herbs will look, taste and stay fresher longer in the food. *