Recipe to Make Your Own Ratatouille

I certainly couldn't find a recipe as elegant as Remy's recipe in Brad Bird's film Ratatouille, but I thought I would challenge my viewers to take a stab at making this French "peasant dish" with an obvious movie tie in (why McDonald's isn't serving Ratatouille with a toy as a kid's meal is beyond me).

I encourage you to make this. Send me a picture even...that'd be fun.

Ratatouille
ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggplants (2 pounds), peeled in strips and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 to 5 medium zucchini (2 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 yellow or red bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup chopped fresh basil

1. In a Dutch oven (or other heavy 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid), heat oil over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in eggplant and zucchini; season generously with salt and pepper.
   
2. Add 3/4 cup water; cover, and simmer until vegetables are beginning to soften, stirring once, about 5 minutes. Stir in bell peppers; simmer, covered, until softened, 5 minutes.
   
3. Stir in tomatoes and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover; simmer, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat. If serving immediately, stir in basil. (If freezing, leave out basil.)
   

Per serving: 179 calories; 9.6 grams fat; 4.2 grams protein; 23.1 grams carbohydrates; 7.1 grams fiber

Recipe via PBS' Everyday Food.

Related Tags: Ratatouille, French Food, Recipe, Movie