It happened on a saturday night…I was not feeling the meal I had planned on my menu and wanted something simple and delicious, yet healthy. I just happened to have some “needing to be consumed” eggplant, mushrooms and tomatoes in the fridge, so I summoned my inner Julia Childs (one of my culinary idols) and throw together this interpretation of ratatouille. Traditional Ratatouille (as I know it) has a thicker tomato based sauce and sauteed vegetables, but I was wanting a lighter and quick dish, so came up with this roasted version. It has a simple lemony white wine based sauce that is subtle and delicious with loads of fresh vegetables. I tossed this with pasta, but you can skip the pasta and have it as a stand alone dish or as a side to grilled Chicken or fish…see its versatile too!
Here is how I did it….
First skin and cube your eggplant and put it in a colander, toss with some coarse sea salt and set aside so the bitter juices can leach out. While the salt is working its magic on the eggplant, cut up your other veggies and herbs.
Also,if you are putting this over pasta, so start your pasta now too.
While the eggplant de-bitters, cut up some sweet yellow onion, mushrooms, cherry tomaoes, yellow bell peppers , tons of garlic, rosemary and oregano. (I also cut up basil to be added to the sauce later.) When you are done chopping, rinse the eggplant, add it and the veggies and herbs (minus the basil) to a large mixing bowl and add about 2 TBsp olive oil and combine. Also add some fresh ground pepper at this point, no salt though…it will make it too salty with salted eggplant.
Spread your veggies this on a lined or oiled baking sheet. Roast in the oven at 400400 degrees for about 15-20min or until the vegetables are tender and the tomatoes are wilted and a bright red (btw, I LOVE roasted fresh tomatoes)
While your veggies are Roasting prepare your sauce. Add 1-2 Tbsp butter and allow to melt and slightly brown. Then add broth, white wine, and lemon juice. Allow to come to a simmer to cook off the alcohol from the wine. Finally add about 1 Tbsp fresh basil at the end just before tossing with the Ratatouille. Don’t really cook the basil, it will dull the flavor.
And here it is! Glorious! All the vegetables should be tender and yummy. Remove from oven.
If you are eating this over pasta, drain your al dente’ pasta and toss with roasted vegetables and sauce.
And Viola, A simple, quick, delicious veggie meal you will love (I hope 😉 )! Bon appétit!
- 1 medium eggplant, skinned and cubed
- 8oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup sweet yellow onion
- ½ yellow bell pepper (red or orange will work too)
- 4-6 cloves of gralic minced (tons, I told you!)
- 2-3 cups of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1½ Tbsp Rosemary, fresh
- 1½ Tbsp Oregano, fresh
- 1 Tbsp Basil, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth (can sub vegetable broth too)
- 2Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup White wine
- ¼ cup Lemon Juice
- Course Sea Salt
- Fresh Ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Put cube eggplant into a colander and generously salt, set aside to all bitter liquids to be leached my salt. Meanwhile, cut remaining vegetables and Mince herbs and garlic.
- If serving over pasta, prepare pasta now.
- Rinse extra salt from eggplant. Add eggplant and other vegetables to large bowl and add 2Tsbp Olive oil and oregano and Rosemary. Toss to combine.
- Spread vegetables evenly on a lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. until vegetables are tender.
- While veggies are roasting, add butter to a small sauce pan. Allow better to melt and slightly brown. Add chicken broth, white wine and lemon juice to the butter, allow to reach a simmer for 5 min to cook alcohol off. Remove from heat and add basil.
- Toss white wine sauce with vegetable mixture and serve over pasta or as a side or even as a stand alone dish.
- Enjoy!
