Ratatouille: An Homage to Steve Poses' Homage to Julia Child

Post date: Oct 23, 2011 6:03:30 PM

(Adapted from S. Poses, At Home, p. 287)

VeryLucyNote: With a Justin wine-tasting in Laguna Beach sold out, we decided together with Reg Penner, Theresa McIntire, Doug Tobias, and Veronica, to hold our own tasting of Justin wines and other Paso wines. This post comes at the special request of Reg and Theresa. Enjoy!

VeryLucyNote: Rob and I were first introduced to the bold style and palate of Steve Poses in 1984-85 when we lived in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania and would head into Philadelphia to eat at The Commissary. Steve Poses' first cookbook, The Frög Commissary Cookbook and the 1985 Commissary Calendar became "staples" among our many cookbooks. Twenty-six years later, in the summer of 2011, by happenstance and thanks to the Web, we came across Steve Poses' second cookbook, At Home. In deference to Steve's homage, it is reproduced here, verbatim. My homage to his homage follows below.

Steve Poses' Homage to Julia Child

SP Note: "Though best made in the summer when tomatoes are at their peak of flavor, ratatouille can be made with plum tomatoes in the off-season. Serve with a grilled steak or roast chicken and crusty bread."

SP "Do Ahead" Note: Ratatouille is best cooked a day or two ahead. It will keep, refrigerated for up to five days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

1 medium red pepper, cut into approximately 3/4inch squares

1 medium green pepper, cut into approximately 3/4-inch squares

2 medium onions, sliced

8 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 pound plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into thick slices

1 medium eggplant

2 medium zucchini

2 medium summer squash

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

1/2 cup basil leaves

1. Trim away ends of eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash. Peep egggplant and cut into slices 1/2-inch thick. Cut these slices into ribbons 1-inch wide and 3-inches long. Cut zucchini and summer squash into similar-sized pieces. Transfer vegetables to a bowl, toss with 2 teaspoons salt, and allow vegetables to sit 30 minutes to extract some water. Remove vegetables from bowl and pat them dry with paper towels. [VeryLucy: Rinse off excess salt before patting dry.]

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan until hot. Sauté eggplant until lightly browned but still firm, about 2 minutes. Turn slices and brown the other side. Add oil as needed. Remove bronwed vegetables from the pan and continue until all the eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash slices are browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a deep, heavy pot over moderate heat. Add peppers, onions, garlic, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook until onions are translucent and peppers wilted, about 10 minutes. Add tomato slices on top of onions and peppers. Cover and cook for 10 minutes to render juice. Remove cover, gently stir in tomatoes and cook at fairly high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated. You want the tomato to retain some of its individuality. Meanwhile, preheat overn to 325°F.

4. Spread a third of the tomato-pepper mixture on the bottom of a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Layer 6-8 basil leaves on top of the tomatoes. Create a third layer with half of the eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash. Repeat, layering the tomatoes and peppers, basil leaves and the remainder of eggplant, zucchini and summer squash. Top with the balance of tomato-pepper mixture and basil leaves. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Allow to cool. Turn out into a bowl or platter and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve at room temperature.

Yields about 2 quarts.

VeryLucy Homage to Steve Poses' Homage to Julia Child

4 Asian eggplants or 2 medium globe eggplants

4 medium zucchini

4 medium summer squash

extra virgin olive oil

(kosher) salt

black pepper, freshly ground

Herbes de Provence

2 lbs. tomatoes

1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil

salt

black pepper, freshly ground

4 medium yellow onions, chopped into 3/4" triangular chunks

2 red bell peppers, cut into 3/4" triangles

2 yellow bell peppers, cut into 3/4" triangles

2 poblano peppers, cut into 3/4" triangles

30 whole garlic cloves, peeled

1 T. Herbes de Provence (HdP)

salt

black pepper, freshly ground

1 cup basil leaves

Preheat oven to 425°F or preheat broiler. Use "roll cut" method, to cut eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash into 3/4" triangular wedges. Place eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash wedges in separate piles or bowls so that each can be cooked on its own to maintain its integrity and unique flavor.

Place eggplant in a single layer on 1-2 baking sheets and toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, and 1 teaspoon of HdP1 T. Place zucchini in a single layer on 1-2 baking sheets and toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, and 1 teaspoon of HdP1 T. Place summer squash in a single layer on 1-2 baking sheets and toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, and 1 teaspoon of HdP1 T. Roast or broil for 5 minutes, then toss and roast/broil for another 5 minutes to brown eggplant on all sides. Repeat with zucchini and summer squash. Taste a piece of each vegetable to check seasoning. Add salt and pepper, only if needed. Combine eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash into a large bowl.

Reduce oven to 325°F. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Score tomato bottoms with an X and place tomatoes in boiling water for 60 seconds. Peel an core tomatoes and slice into thick wedges.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1/4 C. of extra virgin olive oil. Add onions, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, and poblano peppers, garlic, and 1 T. HdP. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Sauté until onions are translucent and peppers are wilted, approximately 10 minutes. Add tomato slices to top of onions, peppers, and garlic. Cover and cook for 10 minutes to render juices. Uncover, stir gently, and cook at high heat to boil off excess liquid. Taste for seasoning. Salt and pepper, to taste, only if needed. Tomato wedges should retain their rough shape. Make sure oven temperature has been reduced to 325°F.

In a 6-quart baking dish, create 8 layers:

(1) One third of tomato-pepper-garlic mixture

(2) One third of asil leaves

(3) One half of eggplant, zucchini, summer squash mixture

(4) Second one third of tomato-pepper-garlic mixture

(5) Second one third of basil leaves

(6) Remaining half of eggplant, zucchini, summer squash mixture

(7) Remaining one third of basil leaves

(8) Remaining third of tomato-pepper-garlic mixture

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Let cool. Turn out into bowl and taste for seasoning. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: ~4 quarts