Ratatouille
A classic French dish, this can be enjoyed as a meal in itself, or accompany anything from fish to chicken, sausages or grilled meats. The addition of fresh herbs and lemon juice balances the richness of the stew.
Ingredients
1 large eggplant
1 brown onion
1 yellow capsicum
1 orange capsicum
2 small zucchini
2 ripe tomatoes
150ml olive oil, plus extra if needed
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
4 sprigs thyme
Handful pitted black olives
6 anchovies (optional)
1/4 cup baby capers
1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
Lemon zest and squeeze lemon juice
Method
Chop all the vegetables into similar-sized cubes, about one to two centimetres. Heat oil in a large heavy-based frypan and cook eggplant in batches until golden. The eggplant will absorb quite a lot of oil, so you may need to add a little more, depending on the size of the eggplant.
Add a little water as you go to reduce the amount of oil required. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Add onion and capsicum to pan and cook until softened. Add zucchini, garlic and thyme and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add olives, anchovies, capers, tomatoes and cooked eggplant and heat through. Finish off with fresh herbs, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve immediately.
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