Provencal Ratatouille with Separately Browned Vegetables
Each vegetable is browned on its own before a short simmer in garlicky tomato sauce, so the aubergine, courgettes and peppers keep their shape and flavor. Finished with fresh basil and thyme, it is a hearty, comforting stove-top stew.
- Total
- 70 min
- Prep 20 · Cook 45 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Medium
You'll practice: Searing · Simmering
- No rush
- Savory
- French
- Comforting
- Stovetop
Instructions
-
Cut the aubergine into 2 cm cubes. Cut the courgettes into 1.5 cm half-moons. Core and cut the red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper into 2 cm pieces. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Pick the thyme leaves and roughly chop the basil.
~20 min
-
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the aubergine in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on most sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
~8 min
Browning the aubergine in a single layer over high heat drives off moisture and triggers Maillard browning, building deep flavor instead of steaming.
Browning each vegetable separately keeps them from steaming together; if the pan looks dry, add a splash of water instead of more oil to keep the fond from burning.
Salting the aubergine cubes lightly before browning helps them release moisture and brown faster; pat them dry first.
Searing Get the pan hot and lay vegetables in a single layer without crowding. Leave them undisturbed until they release easily and are golden; moving too early steams them.
-
Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan. Add the courgettes in a single layer and cook until browned at the edges and just tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the aubergine.
~6 min
Cooking courgettes separately in a single layer browns their edges before they release water, so they stay firm rather than turning mushy.
Searing Get the pan hot and lay vegetables in a single layer without crowding. Leave them undisturbed until they release easily and are golden; moving too early steams them.
-
Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan. Add the red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper and cook until softened and lightly charred in spots, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the plate.
~6 min
Charring the peppers in a hot pan concentrates their sweetness and adds smoky notes that plain simmering would not develop.
Searing Get the pan hot and lay vegetables in a single layer without crowding. Leave them undisturbed until they release easily and are golden; moving too early steams them.
-
Add the onion to the pan with a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme leaves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the canned chopped tomatoes, season with the remaining salt and the black pepper, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
~11 min
Sweating the onion first softens its bite and builds a sweet base; blooming garlic and thyme in the oil releases fat-soluble aromas.
Simmering Keep the liquid at a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil, so the sauce thickens evenly and the vegetables hold their shape. Stir gently to avoid breaking them up.
-
Return the aubergine, courgettes, red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper to the pan with any juices. Stir gently, cover, and simmer over low heat until all the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the basil, remove from the heat, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
~15 min
A short covered simmer lets the vegetables finish cooking through and absorb the tomato sauce without breaking down their shape.
Simmering Keep the liquid at a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil, so the sauce thickens evenly and the vegetables hold their shape. Stir gently to avoid breaking them up.