Ratatouille! (Gesundheit.)
10 Nov
Ratatouille! Ever since the Disney movie about the adorable cooking rat, I have wondered what it tastes like. I don’t know if this is made correctly or even close to how it should be, but I effing enjoyed it and that’s all that matters.
This recipe came from The Gluten-Free Vegan by Susan O’Brien. I bought this book when my dear BFFestie Patrick was doing a month-long gluten-free trial. Before he abandoned me for Vancouver this past spring we used to cook together a lot. A LOT. There was no way that he could be gluten-free while I was vegan for a whole month without the purchase of a specialty book. This was our answer.
A gluten-free life is something I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy (well, maybe I would…bitch). It’s a hard life. Ehh, I suppose I view it as omnivores view veganism, maybe it’s really not that bad once you’re in it and living it. Well, I’m not in it and I find it difficult.
I’m gonna let you in on a little secret about me: I REALLY hate doing prep in the kitchen. I hate washing, peeling, chopping, mincing, you name it. If it’s not cooking and on the way to my belly, it annoys me and I consider it a chore. The best part about cooking with Pat-ty was that he always did prep. I like to believe that he enjoys it, but I really don’t know. All I do know is that he took the task off my hands and did a good job of it. I miss that boy.
Something you need to know about making Ratatouille is that it’s 98% prep. Fack.
I peeled and chopped and sliced and diced and complained. It took an entire episode of Law & Order: SVU. They got the bad guy in the end (that’s my Benson and Stabler!). This dish has onions, sweet potatoes, red pepper, eggplant, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, chickpeas, garlic, and herbs. More simply put: too much prep.
Once you’re done chopping, it’s fairly simple. You simmer everything with veggie broth in a skillet and ka-blammy! Ready. That’s basically it. OR IS IT?!?! Maybe I frigged it up. Who knows? I’ve never had it before. (This is probably how the rodents in my kitchen view me whilst cooking.)
Serve over a bed of rice and you’ve got gluten-free Ratatouille! Is all Ratatouille gluten-free? I don’t know, but this is.
I posted as my Facebook status that I was making vegan Ratatouille and my smart-ass chef friend commented, “How is regular ratatouille not vegan?” Well, she had me there. I don’t friggin’ know. So I commented back, “No rat. It’s just atouille.” (Insert groan here.)
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Tags: Carrots, Chickpeas, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Peppers, Rice, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini
you’re obviously living in the golden era where puns were still considered the highest form of humour. GLUTEN FREE AND YOU DIDNT MENTION ME? WHAT THE F IS WRONG WITH YOU!???!!
oops. i blame your faulty website.
That’s not my website, that’s karma. For making fun of my puns. And I didn’t mention you because I don’t think of you being gluten-intolerant because you effing eat gluten all the time!
This looks delicious! Prep work, gluten-free, AND French — this just screams ‘Pat-ty’! I miss you, too, dear!
I got to this post and thought, oh I’ve already read this, then realized that was just your FB status.
I find it so amusing that you put ‘vegan’ in front of things superfluously now. I’ve gotten into your head haven’t I? muahaha
And this one’s quite close to traditional ratatouille. By definition, it’s a side dish with 7 ingredients: eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, garlic, herbs, and tomatoes, all simmered in olive oil. The one in the movie is actually kind of a bigger variation, which I’ve tried and prefer, because the texture of the sliced veggies is less likely to get rubbery when you cook ‘em than chopped ones. Plus, if you have a mandolin (I don’t but a gal can dream), the prep is way easier!
This looks great AND filling. Yay chickpeas!
One more thought: if you take the same prep and switch the broth for coconut milk and spices, you’d have curry. Two meals for the price of one prep session! Holla!