No matter what my issues are, there is always one thing that will send me resentfully shuffling to the stove; severely neglected refrigerated vegetables. It is shameful the way I will meticulously paw over fruit and vegetables ( I learned that from the French) to get the most attractive ones, then allow them to reach an unappealing state, two steps away from from the garbage bin, before I cave in. Of course this doesn’t always happen, but it happens enough.
Anyway. Vegetables are good things and it doesn’t take too much processing or “recipe-ing” to quickly make a delicious, satisfying something 😀 Ratatouille? Yes, that’s it, stewed vegetables. I assembled the refrigerated yellow squash, zucchini and tomatoes on the cutting board, added garlic, onion, bay leaves and fresh oregano from the herb garden that my husband planted for me before he went back to Haiti. The herbs are doing very well and I am pleased!
I briefly craved a crusty baguette, slathered with fat rich, Échiré French butter but I’m in Pennsylvania now and got over it. I found these “sandwich thins” at one of the supermarkets that still have bread with gluten. A heart throb plate for vegetarians 😉 But for the rest of us, I added butter browned, smoked pork chops from The Alpine Meat and Wurst House (German butcher).
Stewed Vegetables
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 large garlic cloves, slivered
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3 small yellow squash, cut into chunks
2 small zucchini, cut into chunks
2 tomatoes, cut into chunks
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil until the onion is translucent. Add the two squashes and continue to saute until they are crisp tender. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper, cover and steam for 3-5 minutes.
I made ratatouille last night for the same reason. My version, avec celery- which my French copine says is Not Ratatouille- nevaire ze celereee- nevair! Dommage. It was delicious & having it again for lunch. Bon Appetit!
Of course the celery was delicious! French snob 😀
P.S. I meant to commend your husband for his good work in Haiti.
Thank you jm 🙂
When do you go back to France? Poor M. Parret must be missing your cooking terribly.
Hi Nadia. Probably after I install our daughter in college.
Ha ha – I’m inclined to agree with Nadia poor M. Parret.
That’s a great looking chop!
M. Parret is probably a lot thinner 🙂
He’ll waste away!
Not with all that cheese, butter and baguette 😉
Phew!
Lovely! I too hate to see good veg go to waste. I feel guilty!