Weapons-Grade Ratatouille

Name: Weapons-Grade Ratatouille
Ingredients: 3 shallots, minced; 1 large onion (about 12 ounces), minced; 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil (yes, that much. Summertime is living it up time.); A couple more glugs of olive oil. Hell, just keep the bottle handy.; Salt and pepper; 2 large red peppers, pureed in the food processor; 4 pounds of very good regular field tomatoes, or fancy heirlooms if you're rich. Just make sure they're the kind you eat a piece of ... and then involuntarily eat another piece of a minute later. Oh, and puree them in the food processor too.; 21/2 pounds of summer squash and zucchini, 1/2-inch dice; 11/2 pounds of eggplant, diced into 1/2-inch cubes; Thyme and basil to taste

10 ingredients

6 steps

Ingredients

3 shallots, minced
1 large onion (about 12 ounces), minced
1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil (yes, that much. Summertime is living it up time.)
A couple more glugs of olive oil. Hell, just keep the bottle handy.
Salt and pepper
2 large red peppers, pureed in the food processor
4 pounds of very good regular field tomatoes, or fancy heirlooms if you're rich. Just make sure they're the kind you eat a piece of ... and then involuntarily eat another piece of a minute later. Oh, and puree them in the food processor too.
21/2 pounds of summer squash and zucchini, 1/2-inch dice
11/2 pounds of eggplant, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
Thyme and basil to taste

Directions

1

DIRECTIONS
2

cook shallot & onion in the 1/2 cup of olive oil over low heat in heavy pot so that they soften & give up their liquid. Stir; don't let them brown. (Meanwhile, cut up other vegetables) Season lightly with salt & pepper.
3

Once they are pale gold & sticky, add pureed red pepper. Season lightly with s&p. Red peppers have a ton of water, let it cook down, stirring to make sure nothing gets too caramelized & burned. Then you'll have a rich, rusty jam.
4

To which you'll add your pureed tomatoes. Bring it to a boil, & turn it way down to let that baby snooze off all its liquid. Season lightly with s&p. You're concentrating sugar & tartness; to be umami-oooo-Mommy. Around this time, heat oven to 450. Stir the tomatoes so they don't burn at the bottom. Toss the zucchini with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast hard in one layer on a baking tray. When sizzling slows down take a peek. When you get nice browning underneath Take it out. Cool a bit before putting in big bowl.Repeat with squash & eggplant.
5

Cook tomato pot to = a pint. You'll know it's ready when it gives oil back up. Chop up some thyme and basil & stir into tomato base. Carefully combine the tomato& vegetables Stick a spoon into it and feed it to people you love. Then wrap it up tightly and let it sit in the fridge for a day; it'll be even better tomorrow -- the flavors meld, the herbs work their way through the whole thing. Just let it come back to room temperature when you serve it, to your favorite people and maybe with some cheese and bread, and try not to break too much furniture.
6

Keeps in fridge 3-4 days. will freeze if you fill container so no air & wrap tightly in layers of plastic wrap. Thaw in the fridge. Francis Lam