Eggplant simmering in pot
I went to school in Ithaca, NY, home of the Moosewood Restaurant. This was in the early 80s when Molly Katzen was relatively unknown and vegetarianism was not so widespread. My roommates and I decided to try the restaurant one night and sheepishly walked into the small dining room wondering if we had accidentally walked into someone’s living room. There was a chalk board in the corner with 3 dinner items, 2 soups, and a salad listed. I didn’t know what any of the dinner items were, but the description of the ratatouille sounded okay so I decided to go with it. I was blown away. It was unbelievably good. I later bought the cookbook so I could make this dish for myself and my friends. That was over 30 years ago and I’m still making the Moosewood Ratatouille on a regular basis. As far as tailoring the recipe, I always add cubed tofu or beans (any kind of bean will do). Also feel free to throw in any veggies on hand – mushrooms, carrots, cauliflower, etc… it all works. It is great served with brown rice or crusty bread and a green salad.
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium bell peppers, cubed
2 small zucchini, cubed
1 small eggplant , cubed
4 cloves crushed garlic
2 medium tomatoes, in chunks
1 bay leaf
1 tsp each basil, marjoram, and oregano
Dash of ground rosemary
3 Tbsp dry red wine
½ cup tomato juice
2 Tbsp tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup olive oil
Fresh chopped parsley
Method
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Crush the garlic into the oil. Add bay leaf and onion, salt lightly. Saute over medium heat until onion turns transparent. Add eggplant, wine, and tomato juice. Add herbs. Stir to mix well, then cover and simmer 10-15 minutes over low heat. When eggplant is tender enough to be easily pricked by a fork, add zucchini and peppers. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix well. Continue to stew until all vegetables are tender (How tender is tender? Molly Katzen says do a taste test and decide what seems right to you).
Just before serving, mix in fresh parsley. Top with grated cheese and chopped black olives.
Bring It!
This is ideal to bring in a crockpot so all you need when you get to the dinner party is a small bit of counter space and an outlet. If you don’t own a crockpot, you should strongly consider buying one. These are critical to the Bring It mentality. Short of that, if you can bring it in a pot so you can heat it when you get there, that is great. Or put it in a serving dish and pop it in the microwave to heat before serving. NOTE: ask the host if you can heat on the stove or microwave when you get there so they are prepared. Some people don’t have microwaves (yes it’s true – my friend Edie is one of them!), so definitely check before you go.
