The French Chef: La Ratatouille!

Posted by Chef Sylvie on September 7, 2019

Fresh ingredients for Ratatuille

Three Summer vegetables will impress friends and family. I want to share with you this delicious summer ratatouille recipe. It's so easy!

All you need are zucchinis, green bell pepper, fresh tomatoes (skinless), onions and garlic.

This is a typical summer dish/stew from the Provence region. It is a French provencal vegetable stew. With the abundance of fresh zucchinis, tomatoes, fresh garlic and local made olive oil during the summer months, it is the dish to have on your menu for friends and family to enjoy.

Memories of my grandmother’s cooking this dish are deep rooted in my memories. The aroma of sautéed onions, garlic, zucchinis reminds me of the warmth of the summer months and the special bound cooking created around the kitchen table with grandma “mémé”.

The key is to simmer at low temperatures in a Dutch oven casserole, stir every 10 minutes and use Herbes de Provence (you can substitute with fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme) Go to your local farmers market to insure the freshness of your vegetables.

Here is the recipe :

Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence

1 medium white onion, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

2 bell peppers, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 large zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 fresh heirloom tomatoes (skinless)

3 plum tomatoes (skinless)

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, bell peppers, and zucchini, and sauté for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, cover and simmer for 30 minutes so all the vegetables will release their wonderful summer flavors

Enjoy with a fresh baguette!

Bon appétit!!

About Chef Sylvie

Chef Sylvie from Cuisine de Sylvie has been a personal chef since 2015 in Chester County, PA serving the West Chester area, Unionville, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square , Centerville, Greenville and Northern Delaware. She specializes in at home private dinner parties and believes in using only fresh and locally sourced ingredients when possible according to the seasons … Just like in France.. Marché du Jour Chef Sylvie was born and raised in Normandy, France. She always wanted to share the love and passion for French cooking and comfort food the French traditional way by only using seasonal fresh produce and meats from the local markets. She believes in healthy eating, simple foods, from scratch, only the fresh seasonal products. After a career in corporate America in purchasing and digital marketing, she decided to follow her passion by becoming a personal chef. Her intensive internship in France at “L’auberge de la Luzerne” as a sous-chef allows her to provide traditional and classic cooking to all her clients and also caters to special diets. She caters events, private dinners, birthday parties, Girls ‘night out, Crepes bar party, wine and book clubs. She also provides cooking classes in small groups or one on one setting. Sylvie has joined forces several nights a week at Verbena BYOB along side executive and chef owner Scott Morozin, sharing her French culinary expertise and fine dining experience.