Geoffrey Zakarian Ratatouille Recipes

RATATOUILLE FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Put the ricotta in a strainer set over a bowl and strain in the fridge overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
• Season the zucchini, squash, bell pepper and onion with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Grill until grill marks appear and the vegetables are slightly tender but still a little al dente, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into bite-size pieces.
• Brush the naan with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, then sprinkle with the oregano, thyme and garlic powder. Top each piece of naan with half of the grilled vegetables and sun-dried tomatoes. Dollop with the ricotta and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the bread starts to get crispy, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of basil and red pepper flakes before serving.

THAI-STYLE TACOS

Steps:

• For the slaw: In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage, green papaya and cucumber. Toss with the vinegar, sugar and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• For the chicken and sauce: In a separate bowl, combine the scallions, peanut butter, soy sauce, mirin, hot sauce, ginger, lime zest and juice, garlic and about 2 tablespoons water; add more or less water depending on how thick you want the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Toss a small amount of the sauce with the chicken to moisten.
• For serving: Top the toasted tortillas with the chicken, followed by some of the sauce and slaw. Garnish with the peanuts, cilantro, basil, chile and lime wedges.

GARDEN FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups warm water with the honey and yeast in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir on very low speed until the yeast is dissolved. Increase the speed to low and let run until the yeast is bubbly. If the yeast is not foamy, it is not active and must be replaced. Turn off the mixer and allow the yeast mixture to sit for 2 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup oil and a couple large spoonfuls of the flour to the bowl. Mix on very low speed. Increase the speed to low and add the remaining flour, a couple of spoonfuls at a time. Continue to beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat for another 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the salt and remaining 2 tablespoons warm water and mix for 1 more minute.
• Grease a large bowl with olive oil, just to coat. Add the dough to the bowl, then cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and allow to proof in a warm area until the dough is twice its size, 60 to 90 minutes.
• Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil onto a parchment paper-lined half-sheet pan. Transfer the dough to the pan. Stretch the dough into the corners, pressing down with your fingers to make dimples that don't pierce all the way through. Flip the dough over a couple of times to ensure an even coating of oil. Allow the dough to sit for 90 minutes for a second proof.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Press your fingers into the dough once more to form dimples, then brush the focaccia with the melted butter. Arrange the vegetables and herbs to create a picture or pattern of your choice, from a garden to a sun-even a house. You can use the herbs as stems and the olives, tomatoes, peppers, onions and capers to form flowers. Lightly press the vegetables into the dough, being careful to not collapse the air. Sprinkle the top with a generous amount of sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400 degrees F and continue to bake until the focaccia is golden, about 10 minutes longer.
• Allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before serving.

RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare the vegetables: Smash and peel 3 garlic cloves, reserving the 4th. Halve onions through their roots, and slice halves into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Slice zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes or spears. Seed peppers, and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick strips.
• Spread each vegetable on a separate rimmed baking sheet (use extra sheets as necessary). Add the 3 cloves of smashed garlic to the onion pan. Add 1 sprig rosemary and 2 sprigs thyme to each of the pepper, eggplant and zucchini pans. Sprinkle salt lightly over vegetables. Drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil on each of the pans.
• Place all the pans in the oven (or work in batches if they don't fit at once). Cook until vegetables are very tender and lightly browned at the edges. This will take about 35 to 40 minutes for the peppers (their skins should shrivel), 40 to 45 minutes for the eggplant and zucchini (the eggplant should crisp slightly and the zucchini should be well cooked, so let them go 3 to 5 minutes longer than you normally might), and 60 to 65 minutes for the onions. Don't worry about the vegetables being pretty; they will meld into the ratatouille. Shake or stir the pans every 15 to 20 minutes or so, especially the onions.
• In the meantime, prepare the tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add tomatoes and blanch until the skins split, about 10 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to quickly transfer the tomatoes to a bowl filled with ice water.
• Using a paring knife, peel the cooled tomatoes (the skins should slip right off). Halve tomatoes across their equators. Set a sieve over a bowl. Working over the bowl, use your fingers to seed the tomatoes, letting the seeds catch in the sieve and the juice run into the bowl. Discard seeds but save juices. Dice tomatoes and add to the reserved juices in bowl.
• Finely grate or mince remaining garlic clove. Add garlic to tomatoes along with bay leaves and a large pinch of salt. Set aside.
• Once vegetables are done cooking, combine them on one baking sheet or a large shallow baking dish and add ingredients from tomato bowl. Toss well. Vegetables will be stacked, and that's O.K. Cover generously with olive oil, using remaining ¼ cup oil or more, and sprinkle with salt. Everything should have a good coat of oil, but should not be drowning in it. Cook at least 1 hour, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes, until vegetables are very tender and imbued with juices and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve warm, or let cool.