With the recent release of the Disney/Pixar film Ratatouille, the spotlight has once again been shed on French cuisine. While a lot of people associate French food with patently bland or disgusting (escargot and many forms of paté come to mind), there are quite a few dishes that are full of flavor. Ratatouille is one of them. 

Ratatouille, a Niçoise dish, is more than just a vegetable soup. It is the ultimate in French comfort food, and can be prepared quickly. The 'classical' method calls for cooking every vegetable in separate pots and combining just before plating, but it is also possible to cook everything in one pot with the same results. However, the correct sequence must be followed in order to not miss the art-form and the intense flavor of the dish.

The common misconception about ratatouille is that there are a lot of ingredients and there are a lot of steps. Not true; there are only 7 ingredients and 3 spices used. The main player in this dish and other Provençal cuisine is Herbes de Provençe, a traditional blend of herbs that are plentiful in southern France in the summer. The longest step is waiting for the mixed ingredients to cook; it takes 2 hours for it to simmer, with the aromas wafting around the house!

"Too much of a good thing" doesn't apply to ratatouille. You can cook it as a hot main entree the first time, then have it again later as a cold hors-d'oeuvre. In the summer, it's great as a cold main course. It will keep in the refrigerator for several days. It goes well with a side of couscous or rice. Don't forget the baguette bread!

Ingredients:

2 lbs red tomatoes, chopped into chunks

2 eggplant, sliced and cut into fourths

2 zucchini, sliced and cut into fourths

2 green bell peppers, sliced into small strips

2 large yellow onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced (substitution: 3 teaspoons minced garlic)

Herbes de Provençe (I use half a can of Giant Eagle's Market District Herbes de Provençe)

1 6oz. can tomato paste

Salt/pepper to taste

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Coat the bottom of a stock pot with olive oil.

2. Chop the onions, put them into the pot and start it cooking slowly on low. Chop and add the garlic, or spoon in the minced garlic if substituting.

3. Wash the green bell peppers, cut into small strips, and stir it in.

4. Wash the tomatoes, chop them into big chunks, and throw them in (do not peel) and stir in well.

5. Add the Herbes de Provençe, salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Stir well to mix.

6. Slice the zucchini and eggplant and cut into fourths, and add to the pot. They will need to be stirred down frequently until they've mixed with the rest of the ingredients.

Once everything is mixed, cover and simmer on low for two hours, mixing every 15 minutes or so. Ladle into bowls and serve with baguette bread. I recommend pairing this wonderful dish with Twenty Bench Cabernet Sauvignon, available for $20 at most wine stores, including Rozi's. $20 too rich for your blood? Try Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon, only $3.39 at Trader Joe's. Don't let the bargain basement price fool you; this wine (known by its fans as "Three-Buck Chuck") is as full-bodied and flavorful as its more expensive counterparts.

Voilá -- now you have authentic French ratatouille, an intense dish that is well worth the wait. Bon Appétit!