What is Ratatouille?
Ratatouille is a hearty French vegetable stew. It has zucchini, red peppers, eggplant, onions and tomatoes seasoned with basil, thyme and garlic. The vegetables are sautéed in oil and then simmered until tender. It has a chunky, soft texture and a savory, slightly tangy flavor. Ratatouille can be served as a light main course.
Ingredients
Zucchini is a member of the squash family. Most varieties are long and thin with a dark green or striped skin. The flesh is creamy white with edible seeds when immature. When raw, zucchini is crisp and crunchy with a mild flavor. When cooked, zucchini becomes soft and absorbs the flavors of the seasonings that it is cooked with.
Eggplant is a vegetable in the nightshade family that was introduced to the Mediterranean region by Arabs in the early Middle Ages. The fruits are usually long and bulbous, with a dark purple skin, although there are varieties with different colors such as white or pink, or with a round shape. Eggplant is usually served cooked, either by roasting, grilling, frying, or steaming. When cooked, it has a soft, creamy texture and a mild taste that easily absorbs the flavor of the ingredients that it is cooked with.
Crushed tomatoes are usually a cooked and canned item, though may come in a jar. They are small chunks of red tomato, packed in their own juice. Crushed tomatoes have a high liquid content, with small solid pieces of soft tomato. The flavor is sweet and tart with an umami quality. Crushed tomatoes are often used in sauces, soups and stews.
Onions are bulbs that grow beneath the surface of the soil. Depending on the variety, they can be marble to softball-sized, and either round or with a flattened shape. They have a pungent flavor and a crispy texture. When cooked, they become soft and sweeter, with a milder flavor.
Red peppers are the ripe fruit of the pepper plant. They have a firm, crunchy texture and a sweet, fruity flavor. When cooked, they have a soft texture and a sweet, slightly smoky flavor.
Olive oil is extracted from the fresh olive, which grows on a tree. Many olives are needed in the extraction of the oil. This is done by a mechanical process and sometimes by a chemical process, though the mechanical method is highly preferred. Olive oil is a golden color and changes slightly due to whether it is extra virgin, or first cold pressed. The flavor of olive oil depends on how it was processed. Lower quality oils will taste mild, while high quality olive oils will have a robust flavor that is green, or may have a spicy quality. Extra virgin and first cold pressed or preferred. Olive oil lends a depth of flavor to any savory dish.
Garlic is used in cuisines around the world and is extremely popular for its depth of flavor. The garlic bulb forms underneath the soil and is harvested once it reaches maturity. The bulb typically has thin, dry, white and flaky skin, surrounding the individual cloves. Often there are 10-12 cloves to a bulb/head of garlic. The cloves are cream colored with a strong smell and flavor that is spicy and sharp. Garlic takes on a nutty flavor in addition, when cooked. It is used in countless dishes, sauces, breads and more.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
The peppercorn plant grows in tropical climate and produces tiny black fruit. The fruit is dried and become hard. At this point it is ground into a textured powder comprised of black and grey dots. It has a flavor that is spicy, pungent and sharp. Pepper is an extremely popular spice, especially in Western cuisines and lends a gentle heat to dishes. There are different varieties of black pepper and the flavor changes subtly because of this.
Thyme is an herb used in various cuisines for its gently sharp and cool pungency. A minty edge is present in its flavor. It grows on thin stalks and has very small tapered green leaves with a hint of white at the edges. The herb is often dried and takes on a muted green color. It goes well in soups and with meats, grains and vegetables.
Basil is a leafy and aromatic herb that grows in warm climates. There are over one hundred varieties, though the most common Genovese variety of basil produces thin green leaves, in a tapered oval shape. The leaves taste bright, peppery and almost minty; the smell is the same. Basil lends a spicy sweet and herbal flavor to any dish.
