Ratatouille...the Local Way

Almost every ingredient in this recipe was either from our CSA basket or my herb garden. In fact, the only non-local ingredients were olive oil, mushrooms, a bay leaf, and salt and pepper.

Here is a picture of the garlic from our basket and the basil from my porch.

 I happen to be sitting on my bed with my left foot propped up on a pillow and swathed in a blah-colored ace wrap. Unfortunately, both my horse and I tumbled over a jump during my lesson this morning and my foot got caught under his belly. Lucky for me, my instructor is a physical therapist and she said I don't seem to have broken anything. But it still calls for crutches. And as if that isn't enough, I just got a letter telling me I have jury duty.

All that to say...the recipe I used for the ratatouille is in the kitchen and it might take me a few minutes to retrieve it.

Ah, here it is. It actually came from our CSA newsletter. And THEY got it from "The Kentucky Fresh Cookbook" by Maggie Green. I halved most of the ingredients (since it was supposed to serve 12!) and omitted the onions.

Chunky Ratatouille
Serves 4
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
2 medium zucchini, cut into chunks
1 small eggplant, diced
1/2 tsp salt
2 tomatoes, cored and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (Or if you must, 1 tbsp dried)
1 bay leaf
1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a Dutch oven, heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and zucchini and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and the zucchini gets a little squishy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the eggplant and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook and stir until it is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, until the veggies are cooked and the juices are slightly thickened. Stir in the basil, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and the pepper.

I thought it was good. Ryan's not a big fan of eggplant in the first place. We're sort of trying to start Meatless Monday, but I softened the blow by making some turkey bacon to crumble on top. I also found that croutons are a nice addition as well. (By the way, croutons are as easy as tossing diced old bread with olive oil, sprinkling with Italian seasoning, and roasting for 10 minutes.)

The awesome thing about the dish is its nutrition info. Check it out. This dinner will let you eat dessert without guilt!

4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		174.2
Total Fat		9.3 g
	Saturated Fat	1.3 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.1 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	6.3 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		311.1 mg
Potassium		1,147.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate		22.2 g
	Dietary Fiber	7.7 g
	Sugars	4.1 g
Protein		5.3 g