Ratatouille Nicoise

Ingredients

• 2 aubergines (about 600g), cut into 2cm cubes
• 3 courgettes (about 500g), cut into 2cm half-moons
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into strips
• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
• 800g ripe tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 150ml olive oil
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• A large handful of basil leaves
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• Salt and black pepper

Before you cook

• Cut the aubergine into two-centimetre cubes, toss them with a teaspoon of salt in a colander, and leave them to drain for thirty minutes.
• Cut the courgettes into two-centimetre half-moons.
• Deseed the peppers and cut them into finger-width strips.
• Score a cross in the base of each tomato, cover them with boiling water for thirty seconds, slip off the skins and chop the flesh.
• Pat the drained aubergine thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.

Steps

1. Heat three tablespoons of the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Fry the aubergine in a single layer for eight minutes, turning the pieces, until they are golden and collapsing.
3. Tip the aubergine into a bowl.
4. Add two more tablespoons of oil to the pan and fry the courgettes for five minutes until browned at the edges but still firm in the middle.
5. Add the courgettes to the bowl with the aubergine.
6. Pour in another two tablespoons of oil and fry the pepper strips for eight minutes until soft and blistered.
7. Add the peppers to the bowl.
8. Put the last of the oil in a large casserole over medium-low heat and cook the onions for twelve minutes until sweet and completely soft.
9. Stir in the garlic and crushed coriander seeds and cook for one minute.
10. Add the tomatoes, thyme and bay, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for twenty minutes until the tomatoes have broken down into a thick sauce.
11. Return all the fried vegetables to the casserole and fold them through gently so they keep their shape.
12. Simmer uncovered on the lowest heat for twenty-five minutes, stirring only occasionally.
13. Fish out the thyme stalks and bay leaves.
14. Stir in the vinegar, then taste and add salt until the flavours snap into focus.
15. Tear in the basil and let the ratatouille sit off the heat for at least ten minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.