Confit Byaldi from Ratatouille

Confit Byaldi from Ratatouille

Chef Eastman-Bridges

Ratatouille is the kind of movie that makes you hungry. A delectable treat for foodies of all ages, it seems fitting that this instant classic is named after a classic dish.

Although Ratatouille, the dish, is hard to spell, it's actually easy to make! Like all comfort foods, everyone has their own version. Most commonly it is served as a vegetable stew. However, it can be made into a hearty meal with the addition of spicy sausages and crusty bread. Some like it served over pasta.

Based on an original recipe, entitled Confit Byaldi, by chef Thomas Keller of the world-famous Napa-based restaurant, The French Laundry, the entire dish should be made in one pan. You will need a very sharp knife or mandolin to cut the vegetables into fine discs. This recipe is also (and I'll whisper this) vegan, so it's a great way to get kids to eat vegetables. They can even help make it.

Confit Byaldi

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, diced
• 1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes, peeled)
• 3 tablespoons grated carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 roasted red peppers, diced. Rinsed and patted dry if jarred
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 Roma tomatoes
• 1 zucchini
• 1 Chinese eggplant
• 1 yellow squash
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. First you make a base sauce. In a skittle or cast iron pan add olive oil, garlic and shallots over low-medium heat. Cook until soft, 7-9 minutes. Add tomatoes, carrots, marjoram, bay leaf. Simmer for 10 minutes. Lower heat and add peppers Cook just long enough to combine the flavors. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. In either the skillet you cooked the sauce in, or a round/oval casserole dish (8-10 inches), evenly spread the sauce.
2. Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, slice tomatoes, squash, zucchini and eggplant as thinly as possible. Less than 1/8 an inch if possible.
3. In your prepared sauce dish lay down a strip of overlapping vegetables. Zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes then spring squash, leaving a bit of each layer exposed. This strip should start and end about an inch from either end of the pan. Continue to layer in a spiral formation around the center strip, slightly overlapping towards the center. Keep going until either you have used all the vegetables, or the pan is filled.
4. Cover with either the lid of the skillet, or a couple layers of foil and bake at 300 for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove lid and return to oven for another 10 minutes. This dish can be made a day ahead, so either cover and store or broil for 10-15 minutes until it just starts to brown. Serve dish hot or cold.

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