Ratatouille With Goat Cheese And Olives Food

BAKED RATATOUILLE & GOAT'S CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy frying pan and gently cook the red onion and garlic for 5 mins until just starting to brown. Scatter over the aubergine and red pepper and sizzle for another 4 mins, adding more oil if you need to. Season well and stir through the paprika, then splash in the vinegar and soy sauce. Pour over the passata, then simmer for 5 mins until glossy and thick. Turn off the heat. Can be made up to two days ahead and kept in the fridge.
• To make the cheese sauce, heat the milk in a heavy saucepan until simmering. In a separate pan, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir to make a paste. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and simmer gently for 2-3 mins, stirring continually until thickened slightly. Stir in the parmesan and season.
• Tip the ratatouille into an ovenproof dish, then completely cover it with the cheese sauce. Crumble over the goat's cheese and arrange the courgette slices on top in concentric circles, alternating between green and yellow if you have them. Can be assembled several hours before cooking.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Brush or drizzle the remaining oil over the courgette slices and season with sea salt. Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins until the courgettes are cooked through and starting to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 mins before serving.

GRILLED RATATOUILLE WITH CROSTINI AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the grill. Place vegetables and lemon on grill, making sure onion and lemons are cut side down, and cover. Grill lemon halves until lightly caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes total. Grill onion until it is heavily charred, about 7 to 15 minutes total. Grill peppers, zucchini and eggplant until charred and very soft, about 3 to 8 minutes per side total. Transfer to a cutting board.
• Grill bread until lightly charred and toasted, about 1 minute per side. Halve one or two of the garlic cloves and rub cut sides on the grilled bread. Mince remaining garlic clove and set aside.
• Chop vegetables into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large bowl; toss with the juice of 3 of the grilled lemon halves, the minced garlic, olive oil, basil, thyme leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some black pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lemon juice (from remaining lemon half), salt or oil, or both, as needed. Set aside.
• To serve, arrange ratatouille, grilled bread and goat cheese on a large platter. Sprinkle thyme leaves, pepper and flaky salt over goat cheese. Or spread goat cheese on toasts, sprinkle with thyme, pepper and flaky sea salt, then top with some of the ratatouille to make crostini.

RATATOUILLE WITH GOAT'S CHEESE & HERBY CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Cut the aubergines and courgettes into thick slices, no thinner than 2cm/3⁄4in, then cut all the slices across in half. Set aside. Cut the peppers in half, remove and discard the seeds, then cut the peppers into bite-sized chunks. Set aside.
• Heat 5 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan, add the onions and garlic and gently fry for 8-10 minutes. Add the aubergines, courgettes and peppers and fry for a further 10 minutes. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, season well, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the chopped basil and leave aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, for the crumble, put the bread into a food processor and blend to fine crumbs. Add the pesto, herbs, the remaining olive oil and plenty of seasoning, then blend again.
• Cut the goat's cheese into large bitesized pieces and fold through the ratatouille. Spoon into a 2 litre/31⁄2 pint ovenproof dish. Sprinkle the herby crumb mixture over the top of the ratatouille.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5/fan oven 170C and bake the crumble for 25 minutes until golden.

RATATOUILLE WITH FETA, GREEN OLIVES, AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Put the almonds into a large skillet over medium heat. Gently toast the nuts, being careful not to let them burn, for about 3 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, 1 chopped garlic clove, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 3 minutes and transfer to a plate to cool. Crush the almonds roughly and put them into a bowl along with the feta cheese, olives, and 1/3 of the basil leaves. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
• Put 3 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes into the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, remaining garlic, and 1/3 of the basil leaves and cook until the onions start to soften, about 5 minutes. Put in the eggplant and cook until it is soft, about 10 minutes, adding more olive oil if necessary. Add the zucchini, fresh tomatoes, and capers; season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until these vegetables are soft but still whole. Add the canned tomatoes, vinegar, and remaining basil leaves. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes; remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• To serve, put the ratatouille into a bowl or platter and top with the feta, olive, and almond mixture.

RATATOUILLE AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PESTO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make vinaigrette:
• In a blender or small food processor blend all vinaigrette ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Vinaigrette may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring vinaigrette to room temperature before using on salads.
• Make ratatouille:
• Cut eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and bell peppers into 1/4-inch dice. In a large heavy skillet cook eggplant in 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat, stirring, until tender and transfer to a bowl. In skillet cook zucchini, yellow squash, and onion with salt and pepper to taste in 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes, and transfer to bowl. Cook bell peppers in remaining teaspoon oil in same manner and transfer to bowl. Stir in tomato purée, garlic, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste and cool ratatouille completely.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. and cut a large sheet of parchment paper into eight 5-to-6 inch squares.
• On a work surface put a 3-inch metal pastry ring (at least 1 1/2 high) in middle of 1 parchment square and fill it with 1/3 cup ratatouille, pressing evenly and tightly into bottom. Cut goat cheese into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece to form a 3-inch disk. Top ratatouille in ring with goat cheese disk, pressing lightly at edges to cover ratatouille completely. Transfer round on parchment square to a large baking sheet and remove ring. Make 7 more rounds in same manner with remaining parchment squares, ratatouille, and goat cheese. Bake rounds in middle of oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until heated through.
• While rounds are baking, in a large bowl toss mesclun with 1/4 cup vinaigrette and divide among 8 plates.
• With a spatula transfer a round to center of each salad. Drizzle each salad with about 1 teaspoon vinaigrette and garnish with tomatoes.

RATATOUILLE WITH GOAT'S CHEESE & HERBY CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Cut the aubergines and courgettes into thick slices, no thinner than 2cm/3⁄4in, then cut all the slices across in half. Set aside. Cut the peppers in half, remove and discard the seeds, then cut the peppers into bite-sized chunks. Set aside.
• Heat 5 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan, add the onions and garlic and gently fry for 8-10 minutes. Add the aubergines, courgettes and peppers and fry for a further 10 minutes. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, season well, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the chopped basil and leave aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, for the crumble, put the bread into a food processor and blend to fine crumbs. Add the pesto, herbs, the remaining olive oil and plenty of seasoning, then blend again.
• Cut the goat's cheese into large bitesized pieces and fold through the ratatouille. Spoon into a 2 litre/31⁄2 pint ovenproof dish. Sprinkle the herby crumb mixture over the top of the ratatouille.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5/fan oven 170C and bake the crumble for 25 minutes until golden.