Classic ratatouille vs. Revelle's spicy version

My relatively new neighbors, Marilyn and Cees (pronounced Case) vanZeyl have added a delightful “perk” to living here.

Avid gardeners, they’ve set up and maintain a neighborhood garden stand filled with the bounty of their productive garden. Veggies are up for grabs with the only condition being that we enjoy the “fruits” of the labor and, if possible, leave something to share.

It’s fun and I’ve enjoyed their generosity.

Case in point, with a perfect zucchini (theirs) in hand, I decided to make ratatouille.

Since most recipes call for bell peppers of various colors, and the fact that I’m not a fan of them IN dishes, I decided to look around for a substitute.

Don’t get me wrong, I like bell peppers (again, of any color), but don’t want them as an ingredient in stews, baked, creamed or fried dishes. To my peculiar taste buds, when used in that manner, that’s all I taste.

On the other hand, I love stuffed bell peppers, enjoy them in salads and crudités.

My solution has been to substitute poblano chilies for bells in recipes from coleslaw to fajitas and beyond.

This posed a dilemma and I decided to experiment.

Also, while not a fan of many processed foods, I’ve been a little curious about Rotel, a combination of tomatoes and peppers … hmmm, peppers, what kind?

Picked up a can and read the label, the “peppers” are green chilis, right up my alley.

So, to go no further, this week I’m sharing two versions of that all-time classic ratatouille.

I dropped the bells and used a can of Rotel — and the results were delicious.

Tasty, hearty, with just a little “bite” from the chilis, I’ll never make ratatouille any other way.

However, this week, in addition to my version I’m sharing a traditional recipe. If you like little spiciness, try mine.

REVELLE RATATOUILLE

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

salt

2 medium zucchinis, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes with green chilis

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Heat olive oil in a large, deep-sided skillet. Add eggplant and sprinkle liberally with salt. Sauté until eggplant begins to brown. Add zucchini and onions. Continue, stirring occasionally until zucchini begins to brown and onions soften. Add garlic, Rotel, basil, oregano and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Turn heat down, cover and simmer until zucchini is tender but retains a little crispiness, about 10 minutes.

CLASSIC RATATOUILLE

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 yellow bell peppers, diced pieces

1 large yellow onion, diced

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large eggplant, diced

1 large zucchini, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

6 large fresh basil leaves, torn

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan until shimmering, about one minute. Add bell peppers, onion and about one teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent and bells have softened slightly, about 10 minutes. Add eggplant, remaining oil, and about one teaspoon salt.

Cook, stirring often until eggplant softens, 7-8 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, stirring often, just beginning to soften, 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste and pepper flakes, if using.

Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes more. Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add parsley and basil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with more fresh parsley and basil.

Longtime Valley resident Elaine Revelle can be reached at [email protected].