Thursday, August 2, 2012

Turkey Ratatouille

Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Occitan Provença (French: Provence) and Niça (French: Nice). The French touiller means to toss food. - Wikipedia

Although one of my favorite animated movies is Ratatouille, its not why I cooked this! I was in the mood to eat something really healthy with lots of vegetables and lean protein. I started browsing various online recipes and I found one for ratatouille. It seemed like Divine Intervention! Below is a little variation of my own recipe.

There is much debate on how to make a traditional ratatouille. One method is to simply sauté all of the vegetables together, which is what I did here. Some cooks, including Julia Child, insist on a layering approach, then baked in an oven. This recipe calls for the vegetable cubed, although you can do slices also. I think its a great summer dish because there's so much fresh vegetables involved. But at the same time. its also hearty. It is almost a stew - packed with flavor! Its so easy, you have to try it!

Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutess

INGREDIENTS

3/4 pound turkey breast tenderloin, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 pound ground turkey 
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Red pepper flakes (I like a lot)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups stir-fry bell peppers and onions
1 small eggplant cubed (2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, cubed (1 cup)
1 large potato, cubed (1 cup)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Handful of fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Sprinkle turkey with pepper.
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook turkey chunks in oil 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown. Saute ground turkey meat. Break it up when cooked.
Stir in stir-fry vegetables. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggplant and zucchini. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Season with red pepper flakes.
Stir in tomatoes; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is desired consistency.  Sprinkle each serving with cheese and parsley.



Bon Appétit!

- Sandy




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