Ratatouille

Heat the butter and olive oil together, add the onion, carrot and celery plus 100ml of water or vegetable stock and simmer until evaporated. Then continue cooking until the vegetables are softened and lightly golden. Meanwhile char the pepper and chilli, place on a plate and cover with clingfilm. When cooled, scrape away the skin and seeds, roughly chop and add to the pan., stir in the tomatoes, herbs and seasoning. Cook until thickened. Pour the vegetable sauce into a baking dish or tin.

Thinly slice the vegetables on a mandolin and arrange them overlapping starting with aubergine, tomato then courgette and repeat forming concentric circles ending up in the centre. Brush the top with olive oil, cover with foil and bake in the oven at 180c/160 Circotherm/gas 4 for 1½ hours. Half way through, remove the foil and continue cooking until golden on top and soft through.

Make the finishing dressing- chop the thyme leaves and mix with the pasted garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, brush all over the surface and return to the oven for 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 25g butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped finely
  • 1 small carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper
  • 1 chilli pepper
  • 200g chopped tinned tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
  • salt, pepper, pinch of sugar

Vegetables

  • 2 courgettes
  • 1 small aubergine
  • 3 Roma tomatoes

To finish

  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 1 fat clove garlic, pasted with sea salt
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil