World Travels - France

 

Ratatouille and Puy Lentils with Baked Camembert

The one plant-based food that I associate with France is Ratatouille... Created with the glut of plentiful summer vegetables in mind.... probably not the best to be cooking in the cold British winter.  Apparently the dish originated in Nice, France or thereabouts and was considered "peasant food"; though some culinary historians believe that similar recipes were already present in the Basque Country and Catalonia, making their way over time to the south of France.

Well, whatever the origins it formed a basis for this French vegan feast.

Next was puy lentils with baked camembert.  I found a great vegan camembert like replacement in the form of Nurishh Camembert Flavour Vegan Cheese Alternative; you can see that it baked similar to a dairy camembert and tasted great with the puy lentils...

A rather funky French red from our amazing local wine shop Wine & Dandy

Ratatouille cooked

Ratatouille

 

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 yellow onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
4-5 medium tomatoes, sliced or tin of plum tomatoes
4 small to medium courgettes
2 medium aubergines
4-5 medium tomatoes
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped 

Olive oil
 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F degrees.
2. Fry your onions off in some olive oil on a low heat, then add the peppers and garlic.  Cook through for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes or the tin of plum tomatoes, the thyme and oregano leaves and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Once cooked through liquidise; this will form the base for a sauce for the ratatouille.
5. Take the courgettes, aubergine and tomatoes and slice thinly.  Attempt to slice the aubergine thinner than the courgettes as it takes a little longer to cook.  You are aiming for roughly similar rounds of vegetables.
6. In you baking dish place about half of the sauce over the base.
7. Then layer the vegetables in a ring alternating between the aubergine, courgette and tomatoes.

   

   Ratatouille before going in the oven

8. Sprinkle seasoning and salt and freshly ground pepper over the vegetables and drizzle with the olive oil.
9. Add the rest of the tomato and pepper sauce over the top and sprinkle with more thyme and oregano.
10. Cover tightly with foil and bake for an hour, or until the veggies are bubbling and the aubergine is soft.
11. Remove from the oven; sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

 

 

 

Baked Camembert

Ingredients

250g camembert or brie, or other similar cheese
1 tbsp vermouth, or dry white wine, or kirsch
2 thyme sprigs
pinch of dried chilli flakes
crackers or toasted bread, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan
2. Unwrap 250g camembert, brie or similar from its packaging, then place back into its box. Tie string around the box to secure.

   

   Camembert (smaller one is vegan) before going in the oven

3. Slash the cheese a few times and top with 1 tbsp vermouth, dry white wine or kirsch, 2 thyme sprigs and a pinch of dried chilli flakes.
4. Bake on a baking tray for 20 mins until gooey.

Puy Lentils with Thyme

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive or vegetable oil

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2¼cups French lentils
1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
2 tsp of vegetable stock powder
2 tsp salt if the vegetable stock has no salt    

 Instructions

1. Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When hot, add chopped vegetables and sauté until softened; about 5 to 10 minutes.
2. With about 6 cups of water add the vegetable stock powder and mix.
3. To the large saucepan add the vegetable stock, lentils, thyme and bay leaves.  Add 6 cups water, lentils, thyme, bay leaves and salt if the stock is unsalted.. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a fast simmer.
4. Simmer lentils until they are tender and have absorbed most of the water; about 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, drain any excess water after lentils have cooked. Serve immediately, or allow them to cool and reheat later.

Baked Camembert and Puy Lentils

Place you baked cheese on a bed of puy lentils and surround with watercress.