Oh my gosh, this is the easiest Ratatouille ever, basically just chop up your veggies, throw them in a crock pot with some tomato sauce and forget about it for a few hours (well 4 or 5 hours) – you will not miss the frying and then stewing the veggies – not in the clean up and not in taste.

Perfect time of year to hit the Kirkwood Farmer’s Market for some ratatouille veggies – produce at it’s peak and a fun live band, the smell of bbq in the air, I’m telling you summer at the KFM is an event.

Here’s the recipe

2 or 3 medium eggplant

2 or 3 large yellow and green squash

3 large tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

1/2 pound mushrooms

2 4-ounce cans tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence*

Bouquet Garni of Marjoram, Basil & Rosemary – about 3 stems each (optional)

12 or 15 fresh basil leaves

Parmesan for serving

Peel and cube the eggplant, cube the squash, cube the tomato, chop the onion, red pepper & mushrooms and put all the veggies into your large crockpot.  Add the tomato sauce and garlic and Herbs de Provence (you can skip the Herbs de Provence but you will not get the same flavor profile).

One FULL crockpot

Cover and cook on high for 4 or 5 hours, stirring every hour or so.  Don’t worry if it seems dry at first or that the crock pot seems overflowing, it cooks down within a couple hours.

The veggies will release their juices and reduce to about half the original size.

For the last hour of cooking, immerse the bouquet garni and just before serving tear in some additional basil leaves – discard bouquet garni before serving.  Serve over Emeril’s Creamy Polenta with a sprinkling of parmesan.

mm mm good

*Herbs de Provence, I have several store bought brands in my pantry, but prefer to make my own, I like the lavender in it rather than fennel.  Here’s my recipe, makes about 1 cup.

2 tablespoons each of dried savory, dried rosemary, dried thyme , dried oregano, dried basil, dried marjoram  and dried lavender flowers – combine in small bowl and store in airtight container.