End-of-Summer Harvest Ratatouille Stew

A light, rustic stew popular in the South of France, ratatouille brings together the flavors of the last of the summer vegetable bounty: peppers, zucchini, basil and more. This version gains crunch and heft from a crispy breadcrumb topping. (Photo s… — A light, rustic stew popular in the South of France, ratatouille brings together the flavors of the last of the summer vegetable bounty: peppers, zucchini, basil and more. This version gains crunch and heft from a crispy breadcrumb topping. (Photo source: Ratatouille mit Baguett by Gourmandise is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

| Yield: 4 servings | Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes |

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 yellow onions, diced

8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons paprika

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

10-12 fresh Roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 large 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes)

6 cups vegetable stock (or water)

6 sprigs fresh oregano, tied into a bundle with a bit of twine

12 sprigs fresh thyme, tied into a bundle with a bit of twine

2 dried bay leaves

2 zucchini, cut into half moons (about 1/4 inch thick)

2 yellow squash, cut into half moons (about 1/4 inch thick)

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

salt and pepper to taste

for serving

1 bunch basil, cut into ribbons

Preparation

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown. Season with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.

Add the peppers, tomato paste, paprika, and vinegar. Turn the heat up to high, cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, to caramelize the tomato paste. Pour in the tomatoes and vegetable stock then add the oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.

Add the zucchini and squash. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook for 15 more minutes or until most of the liquid has cooked out and the vegetables are soft. Remove the thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

As the stew is cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a small pan. Add the breadcrumbs and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.

To serve, ladle the stew into bowls and top with a spoonful of toasted breadcrumbs and some ribbons of basil.

Zero-waste tips

• Save the onion peels for vegetable stock.

• Add any other random vegetables from your fridge that need to be used up and they will blend seamlessly into the stew. Eggplant, carrots, cauliflower, and green beans will all work.