Ratatouille is a hearty vegetarian dish that makes for an excellent lunch on a cold day. We love it over top of couscous with a little sprinkle of salty feta or creamy goat cheese.
Ingredients
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup tomato puree
1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup couscous
1 cup chicken stock
feta cheese or goat cheese for sprinkling
Directions
Begin by making the ratatouille. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Layer the bottom of a round baking dish with half the tomato puree. Place the onions and garlic in the sauce. Next, slice the veggies. Use a mandolin, if you have one, to slice them into thin slices. If you do not have a mandolin, use a sharp knife to cut them into very thin slices but do it carefully. Arrange the vegetables on top of the tomato sauce from the outer edge to the inner edge, overlapping a bit. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through. Ten minutes before the vegetables are done, begin cooking your couscous. Bring the oth to a boil in a sauce pan. Once boiling, pour it over the couscous in a bowl and cover, letting stand for five minutes. Fluff with a fork. To serve, place a few spoonfuls of couscous on a plate. Layer the ratatouille on top and finish with a sprinkling of feta or goat cheese.
To pack, simply place the ingredients in a plastic container with a lid. The longer the couscous melds with the ratatouille, the better it will taste.
Serves 4
--Kim Cooper--
