I took the classic ratatouille and turned it into a summer delight.
A long time ago I made ratatouille over polenta. It was delicious and beautiful. However, to be honest I haven’t made it since because it is kind of a pain to make. For a while I’ve wanted to make a less fussy version of ratatouille because, let’s face it, who has that kind of time to meticulously layer squash. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for plating a fancy pretty meal, but not for me in the summer time. I’d rather be out enjoying the nice weather.
Anyway, I decided to turn to my skillet because I think skillet cooking is easy. I made sort of a thick squash sauce or summer stew, if you will. You could stop there and take a fork to it. In fact, that’s what my husband did. Of course that was music to my ears because I’m always thrilled when my husband enjoys my creations. But I took it a step further and added fresh corn and orzo because I thought that they added some fun summer vibes.
What do you think about giving classic recipes a twist?
Summer Ratatouille Recipe
(Makes 2 servings)
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cups of orzo (equivalent to 4 oz before cooking)
- 1 corn on the cob
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 yellow squash, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
- 3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- shaved Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Cook the orzo according to the directions on the box. Drain it and set it aside.
- Cook the corn on the cob. I cooked it in the microwave for 5 minutes, with the husk on. When the corn is cool enough to touch, remove the husk and cut the corn off of the cob. Set this aside.
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Add the chopped onion and cook it until it’s tender and slightly browned. Then remove the cooked onions to a plate.
- Add in the sliced zucchini and squash, laying them in a single layer.
- Season the veggies with salt and pepper and cook them until they are tender and slightly browned, stirring occasionally. (You will likely need to do this in 2 or 3 batches depending on how big your zucchini and squash are.) Add the additional 1 tablespoon of olive oil, as needed in between batches.
- In the last batch of cooking the zucchini and squash (once it’s done cooking), stir in the minced garlic, the cooked onion, and the rest of the cooked zucchini and squash and cook for about 1 minute. The veggies don’t need to be in a single layer at this point anymore.
- Stir in the petite diced tomatoes and chopped fresh thyme and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper, to your liking.
- To plate each serving, add half of the orzo, then top with half of each of the vegetable sauce and corn kernels. Sprinkle shaved Parmesan cheese on top.
Source: Tina’s Chic Corner
