This recipe is taken from a Paris restaurant where a friend used to work, and is a lovely ‘haute cuisine’ take on the much more workaday ratatouille enjoyed allover France. It will go splendidly with either of the meaty treats which make up this month’s recipes, and if served with a good mixed salad and crusty bread, makes a great lunch or light supper. It is cooked in the oven, so does not use so much oil as normal ratatouille, making it a bit healthier.
01.
Ingredients
1 medium aubergine, sliced
1 large courgette, sliced
2 good quality vine tomatoes, sliced
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
Spice Mountain Wild Herbs blend
Spice Mountain Patatas Bravas blend
02.
Method
- Arrange the sliced vegetables (except for the tomato) on a tray and place in an oven heated to 180 degrees for 10 minutes or so, until they are just starting to soften.
- Now, on a separate baking tray, place four baking rings, the sort you would use for scones. Starting with the aubergine, layer the vegetables in the rings – aubergine, courgette, peppers, tomato, seasoning each layer with a little of the herbs and patatas bravas.
- When the ring is layered to the top, drizzle with a little good quality olive oil and grind a sprinkle of salt over the top. Place the tray back into the oven and bake for around 20-30 min, till the vegetables are nicely cooked.
- The easiest way to remove the ring is to lift the tian carefully with a fish slice or palette knife and place in the centre of a warmed plate, then quickly whip the ring off. The ring will still be pretty hot, so careful with those fingers! Drizzle with a little more olive oil, give the tian another sprinkle of wild herbs, and enjoy.
