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Fast & Easy Dinner: Grilled Ratatouille With Ricotta

partysugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:50:36 -0700

Traditionally, ratatouille is a slow-cooked vegetable dish that can simmer on the stove for hours. However, this recipe takes the basic elements and makes them accessible to the busy home cook. Instead of combining the zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers in a large pot, the vegetables are individually charred on the grill. A generous shaving of salty cheese and a chunk of toasted bread slathered with chopped olives makes this a hearty, yet healthy vegetarian meal. For the recipe, keep reading.

Go French With Savory Crepe Ratatouille

YumSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:00:59 -0700

After making a scrumptious ratatouille sandwich, I couldn't get the tasty French dish out of my mind. This time, I opted to serve the cooked vegetables in a more traditional way: in a classic French crepe. Considering the prep work, ratatouille is a time-consuming dish, but once the veggies are cooking it's pretty fast and effortless. For the ratatouille, it's important to use your largest pan - I actually used a wok as it holds a larger volume. Each bite of the final dish is a complex and delicious combination of eggplant, onions, bell peppers, squash, tangy goat cheese, and crisp crepe. If you don't have time to make ratatouille, be sure to give the crepe recipe a chance. Crepes are simple to make and easy to customize - try adding herbs and cheese for a different take on the savory version. Or do what I did with the extra crepes and create a sweet crepe with strawberries and a thin layer of Nutella. To get started on your own French dinner, read more.

Ratatouille
From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
1 1/2 cups small diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups medium diced eggplant, skin on
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced zucchini squash
1 cup diced yellow squash
1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Set a large 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the eggplant and thyme to the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for a final 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4-6 generously.

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Basic Crepes
From Alton Brown

Ingredients

2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
Butter, for coating the pan
Ratatouille, for serving

Directions

In a blender, combine first five ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.
Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone.
After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.
Place ratatouille on a quarter of the crepe, crumble goat cheese. Fold into a triangle and serve.

Makes 8-10 crepes.

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'Wich of the Week: Open-Face Ratatouille Sandwich

YumSugar — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:00:13 -0700

Sometimes even a sandwich lover needs a serious serving of vegetables, so the other night, I turned my nutrition attention to these yummy open-face ratatouille sandwiches, made with roasted eggplant and red pepper, among other hearty things.Initially, I made the sandwiches according to the recipe, and they were perfectly delicious with just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a dusting of herbs. But I thought they needed something to close up their open-facedness, so I also made a version with melted provolone, which I preferred. For more details and to get the recipe, read more.

Roasting makes the veggies very moist, and the balsamic vinegar helps hold them all together. I definitely endorse the fresh thyme garnish, which makes it more interesting. Since the veggies are somewhat mild, I recommend using a high-quality artisan bread with a strong flavor, such as olive bread; I found a delicious chili bread at Trader Joe's, and the spiciness was a nice touch. I didn't have zucchini, so I left it out, but that doesn't mean you should. Check out the recipe below.

Open-Face Ratatouille Sandwich
Modified From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small zucchini or yellow summer squash, cut into 3/4-inch slices
1 medium red pepper, cut in strips
1/2 of a small red onion, cut in 1/2-inch wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence, crushed
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 large 1/2-inch slices artisan bread, such as chili bread or olive bread
1 clove roasted garlic, halved
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 slices of provolone cheese
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large shallow roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add eggplant, zucchini, red pepper, and onion to prepared pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbes de Provence, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat.

Roast vegetables 30 minutes, tossing once. Add tomatoes to roasting pan. Roast 15 to 20 minutes more or until vegetables are tender and some surface areas are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, rub bread with cut sides of the garlic clove. Place one slice of the bread on each of four serving plates. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar over vegetables; toss gently to coat.

Spoon warm vegetables on bread. If desired, garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Cover each sandwich with a slice of cheese and return to oven until bread is toasted and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Nutrition Facts (without cheese): Calories 250, Total Fat (g) 7, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 0, Sodium (mg) 328, Carbohydrate (g) 43, Fiber (g) 8, Protein (g) 7, Vitamin C (DV%) 90, Calcium (DV%) 5, Iron (DV%) 14

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Which Oscar-Winning Film Do You Want to See Next?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:30:00 -0800

Well, the results are in, and we now have movies that will forever be known as Oscar-winning. A lot of you said you go see the films once they're nominated, but if you didn't get to all of them before Sunday's show, maybe now's the time. Some people were so smitten with Marion Cotillard's acceptance speech that they want to rush out to see La Vie En Rose for her performance. Others want to check out There Will Be Blood so they know why everyone is talking about milkshakes. What about you? Which Oscar-winner is next on your list of must-sees?

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What Do You Think About the Best Animated Film?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:01:12 -0800

Ratatouille just won Best Animated Feature Film! This was a great category this year that included Persepolis and Surf's Up. What do you think of this win?

Image courtesy of Disney/Buena Vista Entertainment

The BAFTA Awards: The Winners

PopSugarUK — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:04:57 -0800

There were smiles all round on Sunday night, as the British Academy of Film and Television award winners were announced in London. Jonathan Ross presented the award ceremony, in place of the familiar Stephen Fry, and the gongs were split fairly evenly over the best films of last year. Out of its massive haul of fourteen nominations, Atonement picked up only two awards – although one of those was the top award of Best Film, and La Vie En Rose picked up four awards. Its star, the very sweet Marion Cotillard, unpredictably beat Brit Julie Christie to receiving the Leading Actress nod.

To catch up on the rest of the winners, including the pictured Daniel Day-Lewis, Diablo Cody and Shane Meadows, just read more

BEST FILM

Atonement – Tim Bevan/Eric Fellner/Paul Webster

BEST BRITISH FILM

This Is England – Mark Herbert/Shane Meadows

THE CARL FOREMAN AWARD
(for Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer in their First Feature Film)

Matt Greenhalgh (Writer) – Control

DIRECTOR

No Country For Old Men – Joel Coen/Ethan Coen

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Juno – Diablo Cody

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Diving Bell And The Butterfly – Ronald Harwood

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

The Lives Of Others – Quirin Berg/Max Wiedemann/Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

ANIMATED FILM

Ratatouille – Brad Bird

LEADING ACTOR

Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood

LEADING ACTRESS

Marion Cotillard – La Vie En Rose

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Javier Bardem – No Country for Old Men

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton

MUSIC

La Vie En Rose – Christopher Gunning

CINEMATOGRAPHY

No Country for Old Men – Roger Deakins

EDITING

The Bourne Ultimatum – Christopher Rouse

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Atonement – Sarah Greenwood/Katie Spencer

COSTUME DESIGN

La Vie En Rose – Marit Allen

SOUND

The Bourne Ultimatum – Kirk Francis/Scott Millan/David Parker/Karen Baker Landers/Per Hallberg

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

The Golden Compass – Michael Fink/Bill Westenhofer/Ben Morris/Trevor Wood

MAKE UP & HAIR

La Vie En Rose – Jan Archibald/Didier Lavergne

SHORT ANIMATION

The Pearce Sisters – Jo Allen/Luis Cook

SHORT FILM

Dog Altogether – Diarmid Scrimshaw/Paddy Considine

THE ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD

Shia LaBeouf

2007's Favorite Foodie Film Is . . .

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:01:31 -0800

Ask anyone and they'll tell you I'm really just a big kid at heart. Turns out a good portion of you are too. In fact 62 percent of you voted Ratatouille your favorite food film of 2007. While we've had a few disagreements in our Best of 2007 recaps, this is one case where I completely agree with you. Ratatouille is such a fabulously cute film and completely droolworthy. It's hard to believe that the food is not real. Also, I love that an entire generation of children is going to grow up knowing what a sous chef is.

To check out a clip where Remi explains the working of a gourmet chicken, read more.

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What Is Your Favorite Foodie Film of 2007?

YumSugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:59:39 -0800

Now that we've covered all the little screen options - fave foodie reality shows, fave foodie shows, and fave cooking show - we thought we'd turn our Best of 2007 coverage to the big screen. Which of these foodie films is your favorite of 2007?

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Buzz News Roundup, 12/3

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:31:33 -0800

TV Guide reports that Tom Petty has been picked for the Super Bowl halftime show.
Christian Bale is in talks to play John Connor in Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, reports Variety.
Amy Sedaris, Chris Kattan, and Tom Everett Scott will star in Tanner Hall, an indie film set at a boarding school that started its life as a failed UPN pilot, writes The Hollywood Reporter.
Rosie Thomas, Califone, and Mark Kozelek are among the musicians pitching in on a new compilation with songs about every U.S. president, Pitchfork reports.
Ratatouille leads the field with 13 nominations for the Annie Awards, which recognize achievements in animation, writes The Hollywood Reporter.
NBC is buying blocks of reality and "adventure" programming from the producers of Ice Road Truckers, reports The New York Times.
Michelle Trachtenberg and Melora Hardin (Jan from The Office) will join Zac Efron and Matthew Perry in the movie 17, writes Zap2It.

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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 05:30:00 -0800

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue.

Ratatouille
This sweet, funny Pixar film was the summer's biggest animated hit (because let's face it, Shrek the Third was pretty unnecessary). And what's not to love? There's a rat who likes to cook and a dorky, gangly human who wants to cook but can't seem to separate the cilantro from the basil. So they team up, of course. Adventures ensue.

The DVD features some extras, like deleted scenes and a new animated short film. There's also a featurette in which master chef and restaurateur Thomas Keller explains how he brought his culinary expertise to the film.

Two more new releases I'd recommend if you read more

Seinfeld - Season Nine
This 4-disc set of the final Seinfeld season includes all 24 episodes of the season and plenty of extra features. In addition to bloopers and deleted scenes, there are episode-specific "making of" documentaries, and apparently a featurette in which Jerry and friends defend the final episode of the series which disappointed many a Seinfeld fan.

If you're not satisfied with just the ninth season DVD set of the show TV Guide called the greatest of all time, well, there's the complete series (as in, all the seasons of Seinfeld) also releasing on DVD today.

Flight of the Conchords - Season One
Okay, if you haven't seen this HBO series you're going to want to Netflix this first season, and if you have seen this series, your DVD set is probably already in the mail from Amazon. Flight of the Conchords follows a two-man digi-folk band from New Zealand that travels to New York in the hopes of "making it big." They simply cannot help bursting into song at every opportunity, and that is hilarious. If you are a fan of shows like The Office, you'll probably want to check out the Conchords.