Slow-Cooked Ratatouille Over Goat Cheese Polenta

Name: Slow-Cooked Ratatouille Over Goat Cheese Polenta
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: For the Ratatouille; Cooking spray; large eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 10 1/2 cups); medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 1/2 cups); tablespoon coarse salt; tablespoon unsalted butter, divided; small to medium red onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 3 1/2 cups); red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups); tablespoon finely chopped garlic; cup all-purpose flour; cup tomato paste; One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes; tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves; grinds black pepper; cup packed freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1/4 pound); cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves; For the Polenta; cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock; teaspoon coarse salt; cup polenta or coarse-ground cornmeal (not instant); stick unsalted butter; ounce fresh goat cheese (about 1/2 cup); grinds black pepper

Cook: 5 min

Total: 5 min

Servings: 8

Slow-Cooked Ratatouille Over Goat Cheese Polenta

Ingredients

For the Ratatouille
Cooking spray
2 large eggplants , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 10 1/2 cups)
3 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash , cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , divided
2 small to medium red onions , halved and thinly sliced (about 3 1/2 cups)
2 red bell peppers , cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cups tomato paste
One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
10 grinds black pepper
1/2 cups packed freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1/4 pound)
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
For the Polenta
6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups polenta or coarse-ground cornmeal (not instant)
1/2 stick unsalted butter
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (about 1/2 cup)
10 grinds black pepper

Instructions

1
Make the Ratatouille
2
Grease the slow cooker with cooking spray. Place the eggplant and zucchini in a large colander and toss well with 3 tablespoons of the salt; let sit for about 45 minutes. Rinse well to remove the salt, then dry well, gently squeezing out excess water with a kitchen towel. Add to the greased slow cooker. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. When warm, add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic and saute until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. As soon as it melts, add the flour and tomato paste, and cook until the mixture is thickened and the flour disappears, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium high and add the tomatoes with their juices, thyme, and pepper. Cook, crushing the tomatoes a bit with a wooden spoon, until thickened and smooth, about 6 minutes. Mix with the vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 hours. Uncover and remove from the heat; immediately stir in the cheese and basil.
3
Make the polenta While the ratatouille is cooking, add the stock and salt to a medium, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring every 3 minutes, until creamy and thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, cheese, and pepper.
4
To serve Ladle polenta into individual bowls, spoon ratatouille on top, and serve immediately.