Ratatouille, Basque Style
There’s a little hint of Spring in the air. I promise you, it’s true. Just the other I caught a crocus or two peering through the winter muck. For those of us who reside in the colder regions, any little sign of Spring is cause for celebration, perhaps a good wine to start things of. I know it’s still early and maybe I’m pushing my luck because we could still see a late March snow storm and it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to search for my car let alone find all my snow gear that I had gleefully packed away for another twelve months. This little recipe gives us just the right touch to welcome an early spring. It’s a version of a ratatouille that is both light and tasty and works remarkably well with a nice bottle of wine, fresh salad and a crusty baguette. Before you know we will all be in our deck chairs listening to the pounding of the surf, our toes perhaps digging in the sand, gazing up at the stars and wondering just how the other half of the world lives. As for me, I may well be behind the wheel of tractor cultivating the land with my beret on shading me from an unforgiving sun.
Ingredients
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 large squash, chopped
1 large eggplant, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 large onion, chopped
Sea salt, fresh cracked pepper
4 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preparation
Cut into chunks your eggplant, tomatoes, and squash.
Chop or thinly slice the garlic cloves.
Dice the onion.
Place chunks of eggplant, tomatoes, squash and garlic into your pan being careful not to have them stick.
When the vegetables have properly cooked and reduced scoop out sufficient room with your spoon and place four raw eggs.
Finish cooking and before serving add a little bit of piment d’espelette over the eggs. In the absence of piment use paprika or cayenne pepper.
A crusty loaf of bread and a nice tossed green salad makes this a perfect light evening meal. Beret’s off at the table, please some manners!
Wine suggestion
Chinon, Val de Loire
Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil
Domaine du Rin du Bois, Cuvée Antoine 2005