Chunky vegetable ratatouille

Method

1. 1

   Wash, weigh and dice the vegetables

   Wash the vegetables and basil under running water. Remove stems, seeds and damaged parts; weigh the edible amounts listed. Cut eggplant and zucchini into roughly 2 cm cubes, and pepper and onion into 1–2 cm pieces. Chop tomato and garlic separately. Prepare a wide, heavy-bottomed casserole about 28–30 cm across with a capacity of at least 4 litres.

   
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   Ratatouille: clean, diced vegetables before cooking

2. 2

   Brown the eggplant in batches

   Heat 10 g of oil in the casserole over medium-high heat and add half the eggplant. Brown for 7–8 minutes, turning just enough to change sides, until the edges are golden and the pieces start to soften. Transfer to a plate and repeat with another 10 g of oil and the remaining eggplant. Do not pile up the pieces; if they release water, let it evaporate before continuing.

   
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   Ratatouille: eggplant cubes browning in a single layer

3. 3

   Sauté the zucchini

   Add 10 g of oil and the zucchini to the same casserole. Sauté over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes until some sides are golden but the centres still resist slightly. Set aside with the eggplant. Do not add salt yet or stir continuously: the aim is to brown the cubes, rather than boil them in their own liquid.

   
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   Ratatouille: lightly browned, sautéed zucchini cubes

4. 4

   Soften onion and pepper

   Reduce to medium heat and add the remaining 10 g of oil, onion and pepper. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the pepper softens. If the base sticks before they are ready, add hot water in 15 ml increments, up to 60 ml for the entire recipe, and gently loosen the base without scraping up burnt patches.

   
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   Ratatouille: onion and red pepper softening in the casserole

5. 5

   Make the tomato base

   Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds without letting it blacken. Add the 600 g of tomato, 5 g of salt, 1 g of dried thyme and 0.5 g of pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the tomato starts to break down into a juicy base. Keep the casserole uncovered.

   
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   Ratatouille: chopped tomato, garlic and thyme forming the stew base

6. 6

   Combine and finish the stew

   Return eggplant, zucchini and their juices to the casserole. Mix gently and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally from the bottom. It should be juicy without pooled water, with tender eggplant and still-recognizable pieces. If the tomato is very watery, extend cooking by a few minutes; if it dries out, use some adjustment water without exceeding 60 ml. Cooking time may increase.

   
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   Ratatouille: all diced vegetables stewing together uncovered

7. 7

   Add basil and serve

   Turn off the heat, add the 8 g of torn basil and mix. Divide into 4 side portions and serve hot. Transfer leftovers to shallow containers and refrigerate at 4 °C or below within 2 hours, or 1 hour if the room is above 32 °C. The proposed storage limit is 3 days; reheat to at least 74 °C in the centre.

   
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   Finished chunky ratatouille with fresh basil, ready to serve

The step photos are illustrative.