YumSugar

Yummy Link: Pixar Peeps Give Great Food Photography Advice

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 03:38:39 -0700

The folks behind Ratatouille spill the beans on how to create beautiful food photography. I couldn't tell you what they were though, I couldn't get past the actual gorgeous food photography... - Becks & Posh

TV Dinners: Ratatouille - Traditional Ratatouille

partysugar — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:01:38 -0700

Last week both YumSugar and I had the pleasure of attending early screenings of the new Disney/Pixar movie Ratatouille . After watching the fabulously fun tale about a rat in a Parisian kitchen, I left the theater craving the show's namesake dish. Ratatouille is a Provençal dish consisting of fresh summer vegetables slowly simmered with fragrant olive oil to form a stew-like meal. It's versatile and can be served warm or cold, or as a side dish, appetizer, or main course. For a little taste of France, and the dish that inspired last weekend's best selling movie, read more

Ratatouille
From Julia Child

1/2 pound eggplant
1/2 pound zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed
1/2 pound (about 1 1/2 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions
2 (about 1 cup) sliced green bell peppers
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, if necessary
2 cloves mashed garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and juiced (makes 1 1/2 cups pulp)
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and pepper

Peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 3/8 inch thick, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends and cut the zucchini into slices about the same size as the eggplant slices. Place the vegetables in a bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain. Dry each slice in a towel.
One layer at a time, saute the eggplant and then the zucchini in hot olive oil in the skillet for about a minute on each side to brown very lightly. Remove to a side dish.
In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers slowly in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and season to taste.
Slice the tomato pulp into 3/8-inch strips. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper.
Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice. Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost entirely evaporated.
Place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of the casserole and sprinkle over it 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley.
Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip casserole and baste with the rendered juices.
Correct seasoning, if necessary. Raise heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil. Be careful of your heat; do not let the vegetables scorch in the bottom of the casserole.
Set aside uncovered. Reheat slowly at serving time or serve cold.

Serves 6 to 8.

Per serving (based on 6): 116 calories, 2 gm protein, 13 gm carbohydrates, 7 gm fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 gm saturated fat, 135 mg sodium, 4 gm dietary fiber

Print recipe with images | without images

Image Source

Rats Off To Ratatouille!

YumSugar — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 09:03:39 -0700

I usually leave the movie reviews for my gal BuzzSugar, however I was lucky enough to catch a preview of Pixar's Ratatouille and based upon the amount of food in it, this is definitely Yum territory.The film, which features over 270 pieces of food, is every foodie's dream cartoon. The exquisite morsels are drool-worthy, and you'll have to remind yourself - more than once - that it's only animation. The fare is a fantastic testament to Pixar's desire for quality and detail. In fact, the folks at Pixar actually studied at The French Laundry aside Thomas Keller, as well as several fine dining establishments in Paris. They also employed our favorite kitchen bad boy Anthony Bourdain as a consultant. To see what I thought (mostly spoiler free) and see a great scene from the film, read more

Set in Paris, Ratatouille is the story of Remy, a talented budding chef who happens to be a rat. Separated from his family, Remy is guided through life by the ghost of celebrity chef Auguste Gusteau - whose famous words are, "Anyone Can Cook." He meets Linguini, the new restaurant dishwasher, and helps him save a ruined soup. At that point, a new friendship is formed and you're taken on a fantastic ride with several plot twists and great laugh-out loud moments. It's one of those films where, if you didn't feel like thinking, you could easily slip away into its universe. However, if you stop and think about it, there are several interesting comments being made. There's the obvious premise of "anyone can cook." Although it is a bit of a Food Network-like mantra, it says that no matter where you're from or who you are, you can do it. There's also a large commentary on critics and criticism. However the part that I found most fascinating was how it perpetuates this whole "foodie nation" thing. Imagine, chefs and sous-chefs are going to be the new make-believe go-to character. When I was a kid I memorized scenes from my favorite Disney films and believed I was going to grow up to be a fairy princess. Will children grow up pretending to be chefs and sous chefs? Will they matter-of-factly tell their mom that the omelette would be better with saffron? It's a little odd and gourmet-y, however, I don't think it's a bad thing. After all, just think of dishes these saffron yielding five year olds will prepare when they hit the kitchen.

If you can't wait until Ratatouille opens, here's a great 9-minute scene. It was actually one of my favorites from the film, but then I loved it all, so that's not saying much.

Oh and before I forget to mention it, Ratatouille is paired with a cute Pixar short called Lifted. Consider it your amuse-bouche.

All the News That's Fit to Eat - June 13

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:48:19 -0700

Don't settle for any old salad, this summer's ingredients are inviting you to try something new. Something like a grilled vegetable chopped salad with parmesan vinaigrette. - SF Chronicle
My waistline sure doesn't need this, but my tastebuds love the fact that restaurants are abandoning small plates in favor of heaping platters of fatty meats. Plus the rats in the new Pixar film Ratatouille, really know how to cook, they even took lessons from famed chef Thomas Keller. - NY Times
Out with the kebabs, it's time for yakitori! Be sure to check out this recipe for chicken thighs with yakitori sauce. - LA Times
Seattle is home to one of my favorite markets. Learn more about it from the Pike Place Market pioneers. - Seattle Times
This Father's Day, treat dad to a grilled meal that sizzles. - Houston Chronicle
If your dad's idea of Father's Day is doing his favorite activities away from the house, then send him packing with a fabulous picnic meal. - The Oregonian
In honor of Father's Day, there's a great batch of stories about what happened when dads take over cooking duties. - Sacramento Bee