Ratatouille of Wild Mushroom, Tomatoes and Tomatillos

Ingredients

Ratatouille (stewed vegetables) typically consists of chopped tomato, onion, zucchini, eggplant and bell peppers - all sauteed individually before being layered and baked in the oven together with minced garlic, summer marjoram and basil.  Our no-saute weeknight version is quick and easy, takes seconds to assemble and wilts quietly away in the oven while you get on with other things.  Lovely as a side dish, or served over polenta, pasta or rice.  Serve left-overs for lunch, rolled up with grainy mustard in a whole wheat wrap or tortilla.

• 1 sleeve of small vine tomatoes (14-18 count). We used heritage mahogany
• 300 grams (11 ounces) wild or cultivated mushrooms
• 3-4 large tomatillos
• excellent quality, extra virgin olive oil (we prefer Domenica Fiore)
• confit garlic oil or garlic oil
• sea salt
• chopped fresh herbs to garnish, optional

Methodology

Preheat oven to 275F (135C). Remove any dirt from the mushrooms, using a soft brush.  Do not wash them or they will absorb water. Peel and quarter the tomatillos and rinse the tomatoes gently with water.  Prick each tomato once with a fork or trussing pin. 

Lightly grease a table-worthy oven-proof ceramic or glass baking dish with olive oil and arrange the vegetables beautifully.  Drizzle a teaspoon of oil from a jar of confit garic, or plain garlic-infused oil evenly overtop of the vegetables, then finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil.  Sprinkle with a three-finger pinch of sea salt and set on the middle rack of the oven for about 40 minutes, basting occasionally with accumulating juices and olive oil, until the vegetables are soft and wilted. 

Five minutes before serving, turn the oven to broil and move the dish to the top rack so that the mushrooms caramelize.  watch carefully, so that they do not burn.  Garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired.

Submitted by:

C@H Kitchen