Shrimp Ratatouille Food

SHRIMP RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices, then into chunks. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and let stand 30 minutes. Dry thoroughly.
• Peel and slice onions. Core both peppers and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Peel the tomatoes and cut into coarse cubes.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan and saute onions and garlic for 2 minutes.
• Add peppers and cook for 2 minutes more.
• Add eggplant and brown lightly on both sides, about 3 minutes.
• Add zucchini, tomatoes, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Stir often to baste vegetables with liquid while cooking.
• Add shrimp and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and remove bay leaf. Serve over hot cooked rice.

RATATOUILLE WITH SHRIMP AND OKRA

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a very large, deep skillet. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash and season with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in the thyme, tomatoes and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the tomatoes begin to burst, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a separate large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the shrimp and okra and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until the shrimp turns pink and is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. (This removes the "slime" from the okra.)
• Add the shrimp, okra and basil to the vegetables. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf, then sprinkle with additional basil before serving, if desired.

THE BEST RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the bell peppers have softened slightly, about 10 minutes. Add the eggplant, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the zucchini and continue to cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini has softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the ratatouille has reached a thick stew-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with more fresh parsley and basil before serving.

RATATOUILLE SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• To form a soupier poaching liquid, gently reheat ratatouille with fennel seeds, and tomato juice or fish stock. Bring mixture to a simmer and gently poach seafood until done. Adjust seasoning and add fresh parsley. Spoon into deep dishes and serve with warm crusty French bread with which to sop up the juices.
• Heat olive oil in a large heavy enamellined casserole. Add peppers and onions and saute for a minute to get them cooking. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer very gently until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Don't let olive oil get too hot or you will change the flavor. While these are cooking, cut eggplant into 3/4inch chunks. When peppers and onions are tender, add the garlic, eggplant, tomatoes and thyme and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
• While this is cooking cut zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise into halves or quarters, depending on how thick they are. Remove seeds with a spoon, then cut into 3/4 inch lengths. After 30 minutes of stewing eggplant, add zucchini and squash to stew, cover and simmer, over very low heat until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes ( you can simmer for another 30 to 40 minutes for more meltingly tender vegetables). Strain the stew through a sieve and return juices back to casserole. Reduce the juices over medium heat until they begin to sizzle in the olive oil. Return this to the stew, season well to taste with salt and pepper. Divide ratatouille into two portions to proceed.

SHRIMP, RATATOUILLE AND BOURSIN GRITS

Steps:

• For the Shrimp: Combine all ingredients together in bowl and marinate 30 minutes.
• Place shrimp in heated sauté pan; cook for about 30 seconds on each side.
• For the Boursin Grits: Bring milk and butter to a boil and add grits. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Add cheese and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• For the Ratatouille: Heat large skillet with oil. Add eggplant and cook 5-7 minutes until brown. Drain excess oil. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook another minute. Add beer and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add zucchini and squash. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, salt, pepper and basil. Simmer 10-15 minutes.
• Place grits in individual bowls, top with ratatouille and then shrimp.

SHRIMP WITH RED PEPPER BROTH AND RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Make the broth: Place peppers, shallots, garlic, and a pinch of salt in a medium stockpot over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium-high; add wine, and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by two-thirds, about 4 minutes. Add enough water to come up to the level of the peppers. Bring to a simmer. Stir in the star anise, clove, and bay leaves; cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and add thyme. Let stand until room temperature; strain through a damp cheesecloth-lined sieve. You should have about 2 cups. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. When cold, season with salt.
• Make the ratatouille: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Cut an x in the bottom of each tomato, and cut out the cores with a paring knife. Drop tomatoes in boiling water, and cook until skins begin to loosen, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath until cool enough to handle. Peel off and discard skins. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise, and remove seeds. Cut tomatoes into a very small dice; set aside.
• In a small skillet, heat about 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add 1/5 of the shallot, and 1/5 of the garlic. Cook until translucent. Add the tomato; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 1 minute. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining shallots, garlic, and vegetables, cooking each vegetable separately.
• Combine the cooked, drained, and cooled eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, and bell pepper in a medium bowl. Add just enough of the tomato to bind the mixture together. Stir in the herbs. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of the broth to a simmer. Add shrimp, and remove from heat. Let stand until room temperature. Transfer to refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Place a spoonful of ratatouille in the bottom of two soup bowls. Top each with 2 shrimp. Garnish each bowl with a sprig of thyme. Pour 1/2 cup remaining chilled broth into each bowl. Serve immediately.