Ratatouille

This classic French dish is ideal for using up vegetable leftovers. It is a simple vegetarian stew but one of those dishes that fills the kitchen with aromas that will have diners chomping at the bit.

The classic recipe includes onion, tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines and peppers with garlic, olive oil and herbs. The vegetables should not be cooked so long or chopped so small that they lose their integrity. I also throw in celery, broccoli stalks, carrots, sweet corn, green beans, cauliflower and mushrooms, depending on what is needing to be used up. I’m sure there are numerous other veg that would also work well.

As essentials I would include the onions, tomatoes (tinned work well), and peppers, with garlic, olive oil and oregano.  After that, anything goes but avoid brassicas (cabbage and the like) as that will give you the old skool dinner aroma of sulphur.

Sauté the soft vegetables in the oil with the garlic. Add liquid and/or tinned tomatoes and the harder veg like carrots and herbs and seasoning. Cook until all are soft but not over done. Reduce the liquid if necessary or add tomato puree to thicken. Taste, season and serve with almost anything.

Ratatouille can also be used as a base for many other dishes, often reducing the amount of expensive meat required.  Think about chillis, pasta sauce, moussaka or shepherds pie, for example.