My Zen

It is so interesting to me how cooking has become so everything! I love to read recipes, I love to plan menus, I love to shop for ingredients, and, most importantly, I love to cook, especially for people that love to eat! It brings me so much pleasure that I seek it out regularly. There really is nothing better. And, as I get everything set up, pour a glass of wine, turn on the music, plan my serving dishes, I get giddy. It is my zen, my meditation, my happy place. And, I hope it stays that way for a long, long time. I have a lot Grandma's recipes to make. And, as I read over the recipe for dinner tonight, I got to thinking- I really do have a lot of recipes to make; a lot of recipes I want to make. And, then it hit me, with eyes watering, who will take over the recipes, this beloved box of memories and hopes and meals and love. What will become of all of this...sigh...some questions are best left unanswered for now...because, right now, I love to cook and I am cooking my grandmother's ratatouille. And friends are coming to dinner.

I decided to make ratatouille because I fell in love with the dish in Nice. Maria and I had an amazing vacation throughout France and Italy this last summer. One of my favorite spots was Nice.  Especially the outdoor row of restaurants. I remember thinking, how could I ever pick just one. And, will the one I pick be the best one?! The pressure of being a food snob! Well, Maria and I settled on one and dove into the menu. Very quickly, we both decided that ratatouille had to be on our plates. She ordered beef and I ordered fish, but the ratatouille was the best bite on the plate. The sweetest thing was that we were still in our suits from the beach. We felt like locals. And we were so happy. (The picture above says it all.)

My grandmother's recipe called for eggplant, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, and garlic. Basically, cut up each vegetable and brown in a saute pan and then add to a Dutch oven (I have a beautiful black Le Creuset Dutch oven that I am in love with). When everybody is in the pot, add salt, pepper, marjoram and thyme. Well, Maria didn't have any marjoram so that didn't make the recipe. But, I added lots of fresh thyme sprigs (which I removed when it was done cooking) and an extra clove of garlic (based on my taste). Let it all simmer for an hour. I finished it with drizzle of garlic olive oil.

I served it with a mustard crusted pork tenderloin with mustard sauce and gnocchi gratin with a gorgonzola dolce. It was a yummy meal with good friends.

By the way, the ratatouille was amazing and, in the midst of a bustling evening of laughs and stories, Maria and I were transported to Nice and our quaint table for two. A great food memory enjoyed again. And, as I sat at the table watching everyone laugh, taste and savor the dishes, I got to thinking- maybe, if I just keep cooking my grandmother's dishes and sharing them with the people I love, then they will love them too and they will be passed on and on and on...

as it stands~
guests- 3
emotions- love and loss
mistakes- none
meltdowns- just one, but one that pulled at the heartstrings
recipes- 1
recipes to date- 22

The Recipe

Ratatouille

1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
3 cups sliced zucchini
3 onions (I only used 2 because I thought it appropriate)
2 green peppers (not in my ratatouille, ha ha)
5 tomatoes
2 celery stalks (I omitted as well)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
parsley
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp marjoram

Saute eggplant in olive oil until brown. Put in a Dutch oven with garlic. Saute zucchini in oil. Repeat with onion, peppers, tomatoes and celery, adding oil as needed. Add all to Dutch oven with seasonings and cook, stirring, 10 minutes. Turn heat to very low, cover pot and simmer for 1 hour.

Per my grandmother's notes- You may add leftover meat. Freezes well.