When summer yields bushels of vegetables—we’re talking tomatoes, peppers, squash, and eggplant—it’s time to lean in and look to recipes that embrace this abundance. An easy one-dish method involves sweeping up all the goods to make a ratatouille.
Ratatouille is a southern French staple that gladly combines the garden’s harvest and simmers it into a chunky, aromatic stew. Some ratatouille recipes have you sauté and simmer the vegetables together in a tomato-sauced stew, resulting in a thick compote. This recipe, inspired by one from chef Alice Waters, keeps it light and fresh. Each vegetable is cooked individually as they are combined into the stew, allowing them to keep their integrity and shape, while the juice of fresh tomatoes lightly binds the dish. Spice is kept to a minimum, and a simple bouquet garni of fresh basil provides the only fragrance. The result is a bright ratatouille, neither muddled nor overly sauced, to complement any meal or enjoy as a light stand-alone dish.
