Hi, I’m Francis, the host of this show "Cooking with Dog."
Today, we are making Ratatouille with fresh summer vegetables and diced tomatoes.
First, let's prepare the vegetables.
Halve the eggplant lengthwise and trim off the stem end.
Slice it into 1.5cm (0.6") pieces.
Place the eggplant into a bowl.
Lightly salt and toss to coat.
Then, let it sit for about 10 minutes.
Next, halve the red bell pepper lengthwise
and remove the stem end and seeds.
Slice the pepper into 1.5cm (0.6") pieces.
Then, cut them into smaller pieces.
This is kabocha squash also known as Japanese pumpkin.
Slice the kabocha into 1cm (0.4") slices
and then cut them into 2cm/0.8" pieces.
Now, place the eggplant onto a paper towel.
Gently press the eggplant with another paper towel
to remove the excess liquid.
This will help to remove any bitter flavor.
As for the onion, yellow and green bell peppers and zucchini,
cut them into 1.5cm pieces as well.
Now, let's make the ratatouille.
Place the crushed garlic clove into a pan and add the olive oil.
Turn on the burner and heat it on low heat.
You can tilt the pan to help the garlic submerge in the oil.
When the garlic clove is slightly browned
and the aroma grows stronger, add the chopped onion.
Occasionally swirl the pan and lightly cook the onion.
Then, add the red and yellow bell peppers.
We will add the green bell pepper later to keep it from discoloring.
Add salt and pepper.
Now, add the eggplant
and zucchini.
Continue to stir-fry and coat the vegetables with the oil evenly.
Lightly season them with salt and pepper again.
Add the green bell pepper and kabocha squash.
Lightly saute the vegetables.
When the oil is distributed evenly,
season with salt and pepper.
Now, add the packaged diced tomatoes.
Put in the bay leaf and fresh thyme leaves.
Gently press the diced tomatoes into the vegetables.
Then, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low.
Cook for about 10 minutes until the kabocha squash softens,
but we recommend checking inside halfway through to avoid burning.
Lightly salting each time you add vegetables
will help to extract the water from the vegetables.
This will enable you to cook the dish without adding any water.
The kabocha squash we used is relatively sweet
and it will soften the sourness of the tomato,
making the dish more delicious.
Delicious!
Test the flavor of the dish
and season it with salt and pepper to taste.
If the tomato is too sour,
add a small amount of sugar or honey to give it a milder flavor.
Mmmmm. Looks so delicious!
And now, we will be introducing a perfect breakfast recipe using this ratatouille.
Place the ratatouille in a gratin dish
and arrange the sausage and egg on top.
Sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese
and chopped parsley leaves.
Bake the ratatouille at about 200 °C (390 °F)
until the surface is deliciously browned.
The extra-toppings add bulk making this a substantial breakfast.
Both children and adults will enjoy this dish.
It would be helpful to have this quick and balanced meal
especially if you are in hurry in the busy morning.
Cooking with no added water will help you fully enjoy the vegetables' own flavors.
This is a perfect dish for people who love vegetables.
The vegetables are so delicious even though they are only seasoned with salt and pepper.
The piping hot ratatouille is delicious
but you can also chill it in the fridge and enjoy the dish cold.
Good luck in the kitchen!