roasted ratatouille
plus some news from our family :)
Well friends, as you’re reading this, I am decidedly *not* on the farm… instead, I’m in Missouri (aka my home state), where I got to see the one, the only Taylor Swift in concert on Friday night! (which is why this week’s newsletter comes a littttle late.. thanks for your patience..)
Like a true millennial, I’ve been a T Swift fan since the very beginning, so you better believe that this weekend I ditched my dirty overalls for a sequin dress and and danced and sang (and cried) my little farmer heart out.
Alas! In order to go on this adventure, it was a hot, humid hustle earlier this week to get everything ready to be off the farm for several days. But I got it all done, and thankfully my husband and wonderful in-laws are holding down the fort while I’m away.
This week was by far the hottest and most humid we’ve had so far this summer (and apparently, the hottest day on record for planet Earth?!), but on the bright side, our tomatoes have (finally) taken off. I spent all morning before I left harvesting TONS of tomatoes so they don’t over-ripen while I’m away, and it feels good to finally harvest all these big, gorgeous fruits after several long months of carefully pruning, trellising, watering, and fertilizing them.
And after pumping out hundreds of pounds of zucchini over the past few weeks, I think our CSA members will be happy to hear that our zucchini season is pretty much wrapped up… meanwhile, the okra, eggplant, shishito peppers and green beans are just now hitting their stride. And for today’s recipe, I’m sharing one of my favorite (and most delicious) ways to use up an abundance of summer produce… roasted ratatouille! Keep reading for the full recipe.
But first, I wanted to quickly share some personal news… we are over the moon to be welcoming a baby girl to our family this fall! Overall it’s been a pretty smooth pregnancy, though I’m definitely slowing down as I near the third trimester (and as the weather heats up). Thankfully, I have a wonderful team backing me up, and I’m excited to finish the summer season strong before we become a family of four. :)
Ratatouille is my go-to recipe to clean out my fridge (and my garden) in this season of deep-summer abundance. A good long roast in the oven transforms a motley medley of eggplant, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and fresh herbs into a hearty stew, which I *especially* love serving over creamy polenta. Note: Here’s my recipe for creamy polenta (my favorite brand to buy is Bob’s Red Mill).
Traditional ratatouille calls for sautéing each ingredient one at a time on the stove… but ain’t nobody got time for that! I love the short cut of roasting everything on big rimmed baking sheets, because it saves a ton of time, and the end result is just as (if not more) delicious.
Don’t forget to add the splash of balsamic vinegar and sliced fresh basil just before serving… the sweet + tangy balsamic vinegar kicks all the flavors up a notch, and the basil makes the whole dish sing with bright summer freshness.
Happy cookin good lookins! See below for the full recipe (including a 1-page PDF for easy printing).
Roasted Ratatouille
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 small or 1 large red onion, cut into ¼ inch-thick half moons
3 sweet bell peppers (any color is fine), cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch dice
2-3 medium zucchini (about 1 pound), cut into ½-inch rounds or half moons
1 pound eggplant, unpeeled and cut to ½-inch dice (or into ½-inch rounds if using Japanese/asian eggplant)
6-8 whole cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary and/or thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
4 medium ripe tomatoes, any kind is fine around (1 pound total) cut into 1/2-inch chunks (or use 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes)
Splash balsamic vinegar
½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place the chopped onions, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, garlic, rosemary (and/or thyme), oregano, olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl and toss to combine. Pour the vegetables onto *two* rimmed baking trays (if the veggies are piled too high on one tray, they won’t caramelize as nicely). Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring 1-2 times while cooking, until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown.
Lower the oven to 400 degrees and divide the tomatoes equally onto the two pans, stirring to combine them with the other veggies that have been roasting. Put the trays back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and caramelized to your liking.
Scrape all the vegetables and any remaining juices into a serving bowl and toss with a splash (start with 1 tablespoon) of the balsamic vinegar and the sliced fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed (you may want to add a bit more salt or pepper), and serve warm alongside creamy polenta.
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I’ve never made ratatouille but this recipe looks so easy! I’m excited to give it a try!